Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) President DK Shivakumar claimed that several members of the JDS party, including those from Kerala, were joining the Congress after the JDS formed an alliance with the BJP. Shivakumar's comments came after he stated that his taluk of Kanakapura was emotionally still part of Bengaluru, leading to criticism from JDS state president HD Kumaraswamy. Shivakumar also criticized the JDS alliance with the BJP, stating that the party's national president, HD Deve Gowda, would have to divide the party between Kerala and Karnataka.