Deve Gowda says mid-term polls in Karnataka imminent
Former Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda said that the JD(S)-Congress coalition government was formed due to Congress’ pressure and that he was personally not in favour of it.
FollowBengaluru: Deve Gowda on Friday said mid-term polls for the State Assembly are imminent and that he is not sure how long the Congress-JD(S) coalition government would last. “I am not sure how long the coalition government would last. Going by the developments in the last two months, mid-term polls seem imminent. People can understand everything,” Deve Gowda on Thursday said.
The former Prime Minister also said that the JD(S)-Congress coalition government was formed due to Congress’ pressure and that he was personally not in favour of it. His comments had come in the wake of reports that coordination committee chairman Siddaramaiah had recommended to the party high command to sever ties with the JD(S). Siddaramaiah had reportedly told the Congress leadership that the party’s image was getting damaged due to its alliance with the JD(S).
The JD(S) chief further said that the ball is now in the Congress’ court and that the fate of the coalition hinges on the grand old party. “It depends on the Congress leaders. Let them decide what they want. In fact, it was the Congress leadership which wanted the coalition government,” he stated.
He said the Congress wanted to join hands with the JD(S) with an aim to stop BJP’s BS Yeddyurappa from becoming the CM. “Besides, the JD(S) has given away the Cabinet berth from its quota to the Congress in the interest of the coalition. Still, the Congress leaders were unhappy,” he said.
Reacting to Gowda’s comments, Congress MLA Munirathna said that if the JD(S) was not happy with the Congress, then it should end the alliance and go to polls.
