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Gowda rejects BJP, Congress predictions on poll results

P.Sunderarajan

NEW DELHI: Janata Dal (Secular) president and the former Prime Minister, H.D. Deve Gowda, on Friday rejected the claims of the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Congress that they would get absolute majority in the coming Karnataka Assembly elections, and said his party would do well in the polls based on the performance of the government led by his son H.D. Kumaraswamy.

Noting that all the three — the BJP, the Congress and the JD(S) — were in power for sometime or the other during the 40 months of the just-concluded Assembly, he said the BJP might try to get votes by campaigning that its government led by B.S. Yeddyurappa was not allowed to continue by the JD(S), and the Congress would try to win by using the recent Union budget and other strategies, but the people would not forget the performance and achievements of Mr. Kumaraswamy and other former JD(S) Ministers.

Speaking to The Hindu, Mr. Gowda said Mr. Kumaraswamy created history by establishing a second capital in Belgaum. “Over the past 50 years, several stalwarts have ruled Karnataka, from Nijalingappa to Dharam Singh, and including Ramakrishna Hegde and S.M. Krishna. But, this young man [Mr. Kumaraswamy] has achieved what others could not do, by establishing the second capital in Belgaum. That shows his far-sightedness.”

Mr. Gowda said the departure of several senior leaders, including the former Deputy Chief Ministers Siddaramaiah and M.P. Prakash, from the party would not dent its prospects. He refuted the claim of BJP leader H.N. Ananth Kumar that Mr. Yeddyurappa waived the loans of farmers up to Rs. 25,000 and reduced the interest on loans to farmers, weavers and fishermen to 4 per cent.

“It is far from the truth. We have all the records to prove that. We will make them public.”

The JD (S) had prepared CDs of the speeches of Mr. Kumaraswamy and Mr. Yeddyurappa. It would be circulated soon to let people know what each of them said on various issues.

Asked about a perception that the JD (S) had become a father-son party, he said such issues were raised by those who had no other issue.

The JD (S) was one party which was steadfast in upholding its philosophy and ideology. It had been adhering to its secular credentials, struggling against all odds.

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