The Hindu : Karnataka News : Tie-up with BJP has affected the JD(S) image: Merajuddin

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Karnataka

Tie-up with BJP has affected the JD(S) image: Merajuddin

Staff Correspondent

‘Janata Dal (Secular) too ready for mid-term polls’

JD(S) minority support-base intact, says Patel
Gowda to discuss power-transfer issue with Vajpayee

Merajuddin Patel

Karkala (Udupi District): Merajuddin Patel, president of the State unit of Janata Dal (Secular), said on Thursday that the secular image of the party had been damaged by its association with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

Speaking to presspersons here, Mr. Patel said the Congress and the Janata Dal (S) had tasted power till now and added, “if it were not for the co-operation of our party, the BJP would never have tasted power in the State.”

Impact

He said the coalition with the BJP had affected the Janata Dal (S) relationship with minority communities. “However, our relationship with minority communities had not been completely damaged,” he said. Although political leaders such as V.P. Singh, Ramakrishna Hegde and Mayawati had sought the support of the BJP, their minority support-base had remained intact, Mr. Patel said.

Transfer of power

On the power sharing agreement, Mr. Patel said the issue of handing over power to the BJP would be decided on the morning of October 3. Neither Chief Minister Kumaraswamy nor former Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda had said that the power would not be handed over to the BJP.

Deputy Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa had openly proclaimed that he would become the next Chief Minister. “The high command of the Janata Dal (S) will take the final decision.

“Mr. Deve Gowda has said that he will write to Rajnath Singh, president of BJP, and discuss the matter with both Mr. Singh and Atal Behari Vajpayee,” Mr. Patel said.

Minsters’ statements

He said the statements of ministers, D.T. Jayakumar, Iqbal Ansari, and C. Chennanigappa that Mr. Kumaraswamy should continue as Chief Minister, were “their personal opinions”. The Legislature party meeting of the Janata Dal (S) held a couple of days ago in Bangalore had not discussed the issue of transfer of power.

It only discussed about the elections to urban local bodies, he said.

Reacting to the BJP State unit chief Sadananda Gowda’s statement that Mr. Deve Gowda had no right to speak on the transfer of power issue, he said “Then, let Mr. Kumaraswamy and Mr. Sadananda Gowda talk about it. Mr. Deve Gowda was a Prime Minister and is now the president of the national unit of Janata Dal (S). “Is it just to say that Mr. Gowda should not speak about it?”, he said.

‘Ready for elections’

On the BJP’s statement that it would opt for mid-term polls if the power was not transferred, he shot back, “Then we too are ready for it.”

With regard to the issue of Rama Sethu, Mr. Patel said it was not right to burn buses and people.

In a democracy, all issues should be resolved peacefully. “Secularism is important to us,” Mr. Patel said.

On Sadananda Gowda’s statement that Mr. Patel was making statements in haste and excitement on being elevated as State Janata Dal (S) unit’s chief and that he (Mr. Sadananda Gowda) would react only after a month, Mr. Patel said he had had long political experience.

He had risen from a gram panchayat member’s position. “I won’t make baseless statements. Does he want to wrestle with me after a month?”

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