NimmaKarnataka.com

No alliance with Congress: Gowda

Sunday, 26 October 2008

Donning the role of a martyr, JD(S) supremo H D Deve Gowda on Saturday announced his party will leave the electoral coast clear forthe Congress to wage its war against the BJP. His party will not venture into any re-alliance with the former for legislative assembly or Lok Sabha elections, he said. At a pre-Diwali lunch for the media. Gowda said: “Our magnanimity in not pressing for an alliance may display our weakness. My party has a couple of people and we will carry forward the struggle.’’ However, prompted by former CM H D Kumaraswamy and state JD(S) spokesperson Y S V Datta, Gowda said his party was supporting the Congress for the three seats to the legislative council from the local authorities’ constituencies. Polls to these seats will be held on October 31. Asked about the upcoming eight assembly bypolls, Gowda said: “We will field candidates as we have to keep our party symbol afloat. But there is no question of an understanding with Congress. In Karnataka, the JD(S) alliance will now be with the BSP.’’ Keen to set the record straight on the ‘now on-now off’ alliance between the two parties, Gowda said KPCC president R V Deshpande called him seeking his cooperation on electoral tie-ups. Gowda said he spurned the BJP’s offer during the council chairman’s election. “V S Acharya and D H Shankaramurthy said the post would be ours. I refused the seat that came to my doorstep, but the Congress dubs us as opportunists,’’ he maintained. When contacted, Deshpande said: “Regarding his statement on an alliance, I belong to a national party and hence any reaction has to come from the high command.’’ KPCC working president D K Shiva Kumar said: “Alliance is a party decision. No direction has come from the high command.” In Mysore, AICC general secretary in charge of Karnataka Prithviraj Chavan said his party has an open mind on the alliance.

 

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