The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : Beware of campaign against party: Gowda

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Thursday, Jun 18, 2009
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Karnataka

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Beware of campaign against party: Gowda

Special Correspondent

BANGALORE: Former Prime Minister and Janata Dal (S) leader H.D. Deve Gowda has cautioned minorities against falling prey to the “whispering campaign” that the BJP will come to power if minorities vote for the JD (S).

Speaking after inaugurating the party’s membership drive among minorities at the party office here on Wednesday, Mr. Gowda said the minorities should be wary of their leaders, who carry out such a campaign to mobilise votes for the Congress. “They want to instil fear among the minorities that the BJP will come to power if they go with JD (S) in the elections. Such leaders are traitors”, Mr Gowda said.

The JD (S) supremo sought to know from the minority communities the benefits their community had received from the Congress, which ruled the country for almost half a decade.

The Congress could return to power at the Centre on the strength of the support it received from the minorities. “But, what has the party done for their uplift? The new Union Minister of State for Minority Affairs Salman Khursheed has ruled out the possibility of implementing the Ranganath Mishra Committee report on reservation for Muslims in jobs and education,” he pointed out.

“No State, except Karnataka, has such a provision for the minorities. It was JD(S) which made it possible in Karnataka,” he said.

If small and regional parties were considered by the Congress as hurdles to development, the BJP was rocked by internal dissensions.

It was under such trying circumstances that the JD (S) was trying to strengthen the party. “We wish to recruit only committed people to rebuild the party. We don’t want people who are with us one day and with others on another day,” he said.

Former Minister D. Manjunath, party MLC Abdul Azeem, party coordinator for BBMP polls Narayana Rao, former MP Narayanaswamy and party MLC Y.S.V. Datta were among those present.

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