The Hindu : Karnataka News : Kumaraswamy confident of JD(S) victory in polls

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Saturday, Mar 15, 2008
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Karnataka

Karnataka

Kumaraswamy confident of JD(S) victory in polls

Staff Correspondent

‘People have forgotten power transfer issue’
‘National parties have failed in their duty’

BHIMASAMUDRA VILLAGE (CHITRADURGA DISTRICT): The former Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy has predicted that the Janata Dal (Secular) will spring up a surprise in the coming Assembly elections by getting a clear majority.

Mr. Kumaraswamy, who arrived here on Thursday evening to participate in the Jaitra Yatra programme on Friday, told presspersons that the massive turnout of people in the yatras, had given him confidence about his party’s chances.

“During the yatra, which was launched on March 10, I witnessed a great deal of enthusiasm among people for the party. This has convinced me that the party will win the election with a sweeping majority,” he said.

The former Chief Minister said the party would go before the people with development projects framed and the failure of national parties in raising issues affecting the State in Parliament.

On the issue of “betrayal” to the Bharatiya Janata Party while transferring power, he said that the people had forgotten the matter and were convinced that the JD(S) was right in not transferring the power to the BJP.

To a question, he said the desertion by some senior party leaders had not harmed the party as the party was built by the activists not by leaders.

“Moreover those who have left the JD(S) and have joined other parties are being neglected by their own followers,” he said.

Referring to the Upper Bhadra Project aimed at providing irrigation facility to Chitradurga district, he said the coalition government led by the JD(S) had allocated funds for the project. But the former Minister K. S. Eshwarappa was more interested in irrigation projects for Shimoga and Davangere than Chitradurga, he alleged.

About the State Budget announced by Union Finance Minister P. Chidambaram, he said that even the Congress had welcomed that budget stating that no new tax had been imposed on the people and welfare programme were being continued. “The welfare programmes were given by JD(S). The same Congress which opposed budget presented by the coalition Government,” he said.

The former Minister D. Manjunath, MLC B.T. Channabasappa and party leader S.K. Basavarajan were present.

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