Karnataka - Bidar   

Chief ministerial candidate not now, says Deve Gowda

H.D. Deve Gowda

BIDAR: The Janata Dal (Secular) will not project anyone as its chief ministerial candidate in the Assembly elections, the former Prime Minister and president of the party H.D. Deve Gowda has said.

Addressing presspersons here on Sunday, Mr. Deve Gowda said: “It is not right to project the chief ministerial candidate, right now.”

The question (of choosing the chief ministerial candidate) would arise when the party was in a position to form the government, he said.

He, however, said that the former Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy would lead the party campaign and would tour all the Assembly constituencies in the State.

On the Bharatiya Janata Party’s allegation that Governor Rameshwar Thakur was trying to get the Assembly elections in the State postponed, Mr. Deve Gowda said: “Who is the Governor to get the elections postponed.”

Mr. Deve Gowda said the Election Commission had already stated twice that Assembly elections would be held within 180 days after dissolution of the Assembly, and postponement of elections was not possible.

For the postponement of the Assembly elections to happen, Mr. Deve Gowda said that a “presidential proclamation was needed and the matter has to be referred to both Houses of Parliament.”

Speaking on the former Deputy Chief Minister M.P. Prakash plan to join the Congress, Mr. Deve Gowda said: “Why should I bother. Let him join and it does not require a permit for that. He is free and can take a decision on his future.”

He said that workers of the party were its real strength and referred to the response the Janata Dal (S) received at Mulbagal in Kolar district recently.

The former Prime Minister said: “The response of the people was really overwhelming.”

To another question, he said that more number of persons from the minority communities would be given the party ticket this time.

He said that when he was the Chief Minister in 1994, minorities received a lot of benefits.

On the awarding of Bharat Ratna, Mr. Deve Gowda said: “I will not be part of that controversy.”

The former Prime Minister said that he was working hard to bring the party back to power and had embarked on an extensive tour of all districts of the State.

Mr. Deve Gowda said that the vacuum created by the exit of some leaders from the party would be filled after holding discussions with party leaders and workers.

Party State unit president Merajuddin Patel; the former Minister Bandeppa Kashempur; party leader and former cricketer Dodda Ganesh;, and district Janata Dal (S) president Baburao Gudge were among those present.

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