Karnataka - Bidar   

‘Situation not right for tie-up with Congress’

Making stand clear: Janata Dal (S) president H.D. Deve Gowda addressing a press conference in Bidar on Sunday. With him are Abdul Azeem, MLC, and former Minister Bandeppa Kashempur (centre).

BIDAR: The former Prime Minister and president of Janata Dal (Secular) H.D. Deve Gowda on Sunday said that the relationship with the Congress was “not harmonious” to have an electoral understanding for the byelections to the eight Assembly constituencies in the State.

Addressing presspersons here, Mr. Gowda said: “My suggestion to bring all secular parties together was limited to the bypolls.”

Mr. Gowda said he had asked partymen to redouble their efforts at strengthening the Janata Dal (S).

On an alliance with the Congress, Mr. Gowda said there were internal differences in that party over the issue.

To a question, Mr. Gowda alleged that BJP leaders “misled” the voters on the transfer of power (when the two parties were running a coalition government) and that “lies cannot be kept secret for long.”

Mr. Gowda said he would bring out a book highlighting the “poor” state of the BJP in the State.

On the “luring” of MLAs from other parties by the Bharatiya Janata Party, the former Prime Minister said: “The new culture introduced by BJP in the State was unethical.”

Earlier, there were cases of MLAs defecting to other parties and their number was one or two.

But now, MLAs from other parties were being made to resign their seats and offered ministerial berths, which was shocking, he said.

He took a dig at Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa for the mass transfer of police officials.

Mr. Gowda said that such mass transfer of police officials had not happened during the tenure of chief ministers such as S. Nijalingappa, Veerendra Patil, S.R. Bommai and J.H. Patel.

Mr. Gowda visited the residence of party leader Merajuddin Patel, who passed away recently, at Huchakanalli in Humnabad taluk.

The former Prime Minister spoke to the family members and recalled Merajuddin Patel’s contribution to the party and the State.

The Janata Dal (S) chief was accompanied by Bandeppa Kashempur, MLA, and former Basavakalyan MLA Mallikarjun Khuba.

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