The Janata Dal (Secular) will announce its final list of candidates for the 16 Lok Sabha constituencies on Saturday. It had announced the first list of 12 candidates on Monday.
Party’s national president H.D. Deve Gowda on Friday refuted reports that the party would focus only on 15 select constituencies. The JD(S) would accord priority to all the 28 constituencies, he said.
On admitting leaders who have been denied ticket by the Congress and the BJP, the former Prime Minister said Karnataka Janata Paksha leader V. Dhananjaya Kumar, who was inclined to join the JD(S), was formerly a member of the Jana Sangh, which fought against the Emergency imposed by the Congress government headed by Indira Gandhi.
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“When he expressed his desire to join the JD (S) without any condition, I welcomed him,” he said.
Taking exception to BJP’s prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi’s attack on the United Front that was headed by him, Mr. Gowda cautioned him not to cross the limit. “The statement made by Mr. Modi during his Bihar tour will not auger well for the Chief Minister of a State. He should not cross the limit while speaking against other political parties,” he said.
“Mr. Modi should be restrained. Let him not think that he would realise his dream (of becoming Prime Minister) by using foul language. The BJP might have identified him as the prime ministerial candidate, but have the people of the country recognised him so?” the former Prime Minister asked.
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“I am a former Prime Minister, he has not even occupied the coveted seat so far. Still, he is the Chief Minister of Gujarat. Is he greater than stalwarts of the BJP like A.B. Vajapayee and L.K. Advani? He should not exceed his limits,” Mr. Gowda said.