SHIMOGA: The former Prime Minister and President of the Janata Dal (S) H.D. Deve Gowda here on Thursday took strong exception to the "paltry" sanction of Rs. 360 crores by the Centre towards flood and rain relief and alleged that different yardsticks were being applied to different States by the Congress-led UPA Government.

Reacting to the reported statement by Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil that the Centre could not release any more grants, Mr. Deve Gowda said it was for the members of Parliament to take up the matter with the Centre.

People should be told about the apathetic attitude of the Centre towards the State, the former Prime Minister said.

He said Tamil Nadu appeared to be fortunate as it had been able to get a larger sum than Karnataka. "Even Andhra Pradesh was able to get enough assistance from the Centre for its projects after Chandrababu Naidu became Chief Minister," he said.

When asked why the Centre was observing the formality of sending teams to States to assess the damage caused by natural calamities if their recommendations were not taken into account while determining the assistance, Mr. Deve Gowda said: "What is more important for the UPA Government is its survival. That's why it takes such arbitrary decisions."

Campaign

Mr. Deve Gowda, who arrived here in the morning to launch the party's campaign for the elections to the zilla panchayat and taluk panchayats in Shimoga district, said that his party would focus on rural development as had been mentioned in the party manifesto which was released in Bangalore on Wednesday.

Claiming that the manifesto was quite different from those of other parties, he said it had been based on the manifesto of the Janata Party which favoured earmarking 40 per cent of the budgetary allocation for rural development.

Mr. Deve Gowda said that though the Congress and the Janata Dal (S) were running the coalition government in the State they were opponents in the panchayat elections.

However, the outcome of the elections would have no impact on the Government. He said the Government was formed on the basis of a common minimum programme and with the intention of keeping the "communal" BJP away from power.

He said it was significant that all elections held in the State since the coalition Government came to power were won either by the Congress or the Janata Dal (S) which only showed that the Government had been accepted by the people.

When asked if the Congress and the Janata Dal (S) would again join hands if none of them secured a majority in the panchayats, he said: "How can I say unless the results of the elections are known?"

He said that the Janata Dal (S), which was viewed as an insignificant party by political pundits before the Assembly elections, could win 56 seats was indicative of its inherent strength.

Mr. Deve Gowda said: "people may ridicule or abuse our party but they have faith in it which cannot wished away. That's the reason why it has remained the only credible party."

Referring to the oft-repeated criticism against him by Congress leaders, Mr. Deve Gowda said: "I do not care what these people say as I can respond only to Congress President Sonia Gandhi as it was at her instance that he agreed to join hands with her party to form the coalition Government in Karnataka."He made it clear that he would not do any harm to the coalition Government.

Asked how long he could tolerate the criticism by Congress leaders he said: "I don't know. Tolerance may be my weakness. But I too have a sense of timing. I will hit back at the appropriate time."

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