Former Prime Minister and JD(S) supremo H.D. Deve Gowda, who is undergoing ayurvedic treatment in coastal Karnataka, said he was unaware of any developments related to the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) leader K. Chandrashekar Rao holding talks with his son and Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy and its political implications.
He said his party would abide by the coalition dharma and side only with the Mahagathbandhan of Opposition parties, led by the Congress, “unless they ignore our party”. Mr. Rao has been meeting several leaders of southern States in what is seen as an attempt to prepare the ground for a “federal front” of non-Congress, non-BJP parties after the elections.
Clarifying that none of the national political leaders had contacted him, he said there was talk on formation of various “fronts” being done by “some people who were into political guesswork” ahead of the May 23 results. “I don’t want to react on developments based on speculation till results of polls are declared,” he said. “None of the national leaders has discussed this issue, as far as my knowledge goes.”
Asked about the reported telephonic conversation between Mr. Rao and Mr. Kumaraswamy, he said he was undergoing ayurvedic treatment and was unaware of the development.
However, he said, “The JD(S) is with the Congress and will continue to be with the national party. If national Congress leaders, especially party president Rahul Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi ignore our party, that would be a different issue,” he said, adding that at the fag end of life he will “not make any compromise for the sake of power”.
Mr. Gowda also took exception to the plans of the Opposition parties to meet the President of India after the elections are over to impress upon the highest constitutional authority not to call the single largest party to form the government in case of a split verdict. “Any move should be based on the verdict of 125 crore people of the country, which would be known only after May 23,” he said.
