The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : ‘It’s going to be a referendum on our work’

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Thursday, Oct 16, 2008
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Karnataka

Karnataka - Bangalore

‘It’s going to be a referendum on our work’

Special Correspondent

D.V. Sadananda Gowda

BANGALORE: The stage is set for the high stake electoral battle with the Bharatiya Janata Party State unit president D.V. Sadananda Gowda acknowledging on Wednesday that the results of the bypolls to the eight Assembly constituencies will be a referendum on the performance of the party government headed by Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa.

Addressing presspersons here after admitting some Janata Dal (S) activists of Doddaballapur to the party fold, Mr. Gowda said: “Definitely it (bypoll results) will be a referendum for the development works taken up by us.” He also noted that “development” would be the main issue on which the bypolls would be fought.

He ridiculed the efforts by the Opposition Congress and the Janata Dal (S) to forge an alliance as a clear indication that they had accepted defeat. “They know that it is not possible for them to face the formidable BJP individually. Hence, they are trying to join hands despite the fact that they traded charges not very long ago.”

He described the proposed tie-up as “an alliance between the hapless and the mindless.”

While the Janata Dal (S) was in a hapless situation after it fared badly in the Assembly elections, the Congress was in a pitiable situation as it was dogged by dissension.

Mr. Gowda said the party had decided to desist from issuing statements either in support or against Minister for Science and Technology Anand Asnotikar, who has been charged with filing a false affidavit before the Election Commission during the last Assembly elections. “The party will decide the next course of action if he is found guilty.”

The State BJP president took exception to the Election Commission refraining from announcing elections to Jammu and Kashmir. It amounted to indirectly supporting the anti-national forces which were against holding elections in that State.

The Congress and the UPA should bring pressure on the poll panel to hold polls in Jammu and Kashmir. Otherwise, people would come to conclude that the Congress was hand in glove with the anti-national elements who were against holding elections there, he remarked.

Earlier, participating in a media workshop for prominent leaders of the party, Mr. Gowda said the BJP would welcome Congress leader Siddaramaiah into its fold if he came to the party as an ordinary worker and accepted its ideology.

Joins party

Meanwhile, former Karnataka Open University former Vice-Chancellor M. S. Rame Gowda joined the BJP on Wednesday. He told The Hindu that he was impressed by the work being taken up by the party government in the socio-economic and educational fields.

Green signal

The BJP formally permitted the re-entry of former MLA Gantaganahalli Krishnappa, who had been expelled by the party on charges of anti-party activities.

BJP State president D.V. Sadananda Gowda remarked: “Mr. Krishnappa is an honest politician and hence he has been permitted to rejoin the party. This will strengthen our party in Doddaballapur from where he hails.”

The BJP had earlier accused him of indulging in cross-voting during the Rajya Sabha elections which led to the defeat of its official candidate D. K. Taradevi.

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