Janata Dal (Secular) national president H.D. Deve Gowda has instructed his party leaders “not to bargain for any position” in return for striking an alliance with the Congress to hold the reins of the BBMP council.
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“The party will not claim its pound of flesh in any manner, including the post of Deputy Mayor,” he said. However, he clarified the party will not forego chairmanship of committees, “which comes with its strength.”
Allaying apprehensions on him becoming a “stumbling block” in the ongoing attempts of JD(S) to strike an alliance with the Congress, the former Prime Minister said he did not have any objection with the move made by the party’s second-rung leaders.
His only condition is that they should “protect the party’s interests” in the process.
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He said JD(S) president H.D. Kumaraswamy will hold talks with the president of the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee G. Parameshwara and Chief Minister Siddaramaiah.
“As the Leader of the Opposition in Parliament M. Mallikarjuna Kharge suggested that the State leaders could take a call on the issue, there is no need for national leaders to interfere in that,” he maintained.
He further clarified that he did not have any animosity against Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, who had worked with him for more than seven years.
I do not carry baggage from the past
H.D. Deve Gowda,
JD(S) national president and the former Prime Minister