NEW DELHI: Former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda's Janata Dal (Secular) has ruled out the possibility of an electoral tie-up with the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections due next year.

Gowda, however, has kept the option open of joining any alliance in the future."JD(S) will fight the Lok Sabha elections independently", Deve Gowda said on Tuesday."Whether we (the party) win five, six, three, two or one seats, we will fight the Lok Sabha elections independently.

We will field candidates only in those places where we are strong after consulting with our workers," he added.However, keeping the options of joining any alliance open, the JD(S) supremo said "the party would decide on its action in future based on the prevailing situation."In this context, he recalled how his party had given support to the Congress-led government led by the then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.There were strong hints that the JD(U) would join hands with the BJP in Karnataka to counter the Congress after its dismal performance in the last assembly elections.The JD(S) could manage to win only 19 seats in the 224-member Karnataka assembly.

The party lost nearly 5 per cent of its voteshare.The BJP also faced drubbing and was reduced to 66 seats in the state, while the Congress scored an impressive victory winning 135 seats and returning to power.

Gowda's son and former chief minister H D Kumaraswamy had said last week his party would work together with the BJP against the Congress government on various issues, fueling speculation of the two parties joining hands for next year's polls.The JD(S) had joined the saffron party's protest to boycott the assembly session after 10 BJP legislators were suspended from the House for "indecent and disrespectful conduct".Kumaraswamy had also said that Deve Gowda had authorised him to take final decision regarding alliance."Still there is 11 months for Parliament elections.

Let's see when Parliament election comes.

It was advised to organise the party.

Also, Deve Gowda has said that he has authorised me to take any final decision regarding the party," Kumaraswamy had said.(With inputs from agencies)