Karnataka - Bangalore   

Deve Gowda rules out JD(S) joining NDA

S. Rajendran

`JD(S) is willing to extend issue-based support to any party'

BANGALORE: The former Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda has said that the Janata Dal (Secular) is open to extending issue-based support to any political party that agrees with its ideology. But he categorically ruled out joining or even associating his party with the National Democratic Alliance.

He sought to make these clarifications after the publication of an interview he gave to the Rashtriya Sayamsevak Sangh (RSS) mouthpiece, Organiser, in which he has been quoted as saying that his party is willing to extend issue-based support to the National Democratic Alliance at the Centre.

No deviation

He told The Hindu here on Saturday that there was no question of the Janata Dal (S) straying away from the party ideology spelled out in 1999. "Merely because the party has associated with the BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party) in Karnataka does not mean that the JD (S) has conveniently changed its party ideology and is now shifting in favour of fundamentalist forces."

Asked if his party would enter an alliance with the BJP in the next Legislative Assembly elections, he said: "We will think of it when the time comes."

The former Prime Minister said the Janata Dal (S), which was heading the Government, would hand over charge to the BJP as per the power-sharing agreement if the latter stuck to the agreement.

"The Janata Dal (S) is preparing for the change of guard". The transfer of power would be smooth only if the BJP stuck to the Karnataka Development Programme, he said.

Key issues

Mr. Deve Gowda said the Janata Dal (S) was committed to protecting the interests of the minorities, farmers, the rural sector and solving the large-scale unemployment problem. Should the

BJP agree on these programmes, then his party would not hesitate to support it on these issues. If the BJP raised Hindutva or the Ram temple issue, then the Janata Dal (S) would keep away from it.

With reference to communal clashes in Dakshin Kannada or even the Bababudangiri issue, he said the Janata Dal (S) had categorically spelled out its stand. The party was keen on communal harmony and the police had been strictly told to remain unbiased when it came to dealing with sensitive matters like communal clashes.

Even on the Bababudangiri issue, all steps had been taken to stick to the directions of the High Court.

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