Deve Gowda denies pact with BJP

‘SPECULATION’ Former PM slams Siddaramaiah for suggesting a BJPJD(S) alliance; says is confident of victory

BENGALURU: A day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi lavished praise on him at an election rally in Karnataka, Janata Dal (Secular) supremo HD Deve Gowda on Wednesday sought to play it down, saying it did not mean their parties were cosying up to each other.

Gowda also slammed chief minister Siddaramaiah for suggesting earlier on Wednesday that Gowda’s party would back the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Virtually endorsing Modi’s criticism of Rahul Gandhi for having ‘insulted’ him, the JD(S) supremo also said a Kannadiga had become the Prime Minister and Siddaramaiah tried to “demolish” Kannadiga pride.

“This is how Congress gives respect to Kannada pride,” Gowda, who was the PM heading the United Front government at the Centre during 1996-97, told a press conference here.

He asserted that the JD(S) would come back to power in the May 12 polls, and discounted the possibility of a hung assembly.

“Maybe, by praising me, he (the prime minister) wants to gain sympathy. That is all. That does not mean there is an understanding (between the BJP and his party),” Gowda said.

“In fact, the JD(S) is confident of forming the government on its own with the cooperation of TDP chief Chandrababu Naidu, and TRS chief Chandrasekhar Rao and other friends in the political arena... I do not expect a hung assembly,” he said.

“I have been saying this and I will say this” again - we are confident of forming government on our own,” the JDS chief” said.

PM Modi, while launching the second leg of his campaign for the assembly elections, had lashed out at Congress president Rahul Gandhi for “insulting” Gowda.

Showering praise at a rally in Udupi, the PM had said he was one of the most respected and tallest leaders for whom, he had great respect. Earlier on Wednesday in Hubbali, Siddaramaiah alleged there was a tacit understanding between the JD(S) and the BJP which was reflected in Modi’s praise for Gowda. “Deve Gowda should be admitted to old-age care centre. Who told this? Is it not the Prime Minister? Now he is praising him. What does this mean? This is a political statement and it clearly shows there is a tacit understanding between JDS and BJP,” he said.

Hitting back at Siddaramaiah, Gowda said he “wanted to be the chief minister with the support of BJP when he was in my party in 2004. I said no. Now Siddaramaiah is spreading this that I will support BJP,” he said.

The 2004 assembly polls had thrown up a fractured verdict with the BJP emerging as the single largest party. The Congress, which lost power, and the JD(S) had formed a coalition government then.

Maybe, by praising me, he (Modi) wants to gain sympathy. That is all. That does not mean there is an understanding (between BJP and his party)...

DEVE GOWDA, JD(S) chief