Cong-JDS triumph in by-poll will change equation in national politics: Deve Gowda
Ballary, October 29: Former prime minister and JDS supremo H.D. Deve Gowda predicted that the triumph of the Congress-JDS combine in the by-election would change the equation in the national politics.
Addressing an electioneering in favour of Congress candidate V.S. Ugrappa at Kudligi Assembly constituency on Monday, Deve Gowda said that “let us keep our ego and differences aside and face the election together to send a strong message to the entire country. If we won all the five constituencies, then the scenario of the national politics would change”, he opined.
“V.S. Ugrappa is a born fighter. Congress-JDS workers have to elect him with a huge margin of votes in Ballary Lok Sabha constituency. There were differences among us. It was true. But I know how to utilize the time fruitfully. We should defeat the BJP for the future of the country. You might think that how Deve Gowda and Siddaramaiah, despite fighting each other, came together. But here we do not have selfishness”, he said.
Former chief minister Siddaramaiah said that “Janardhana Reddy alleged that I have involved in illegal mining. If he has guts, let him prove his allegation against me. Why did Sriramulu go to the house of a Judge at Hyderabad when Janardhana Reddy was in jail in the illegal mining case? Janardhana Reddy has challenged me to come to open debate on illegal mining. I would accept his challenge. Let him fix the time and place for the open debate. Janardhana Reddy could not come to Ballary. I don’t know whether he has permission to come to Bengaluru or not”, he said.
The Congress has made alliance with the JDS to protect the democracy in the country. Siddaramaiah-led government was a pro-people government. Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s was not ‘sab ka sath, sab ka vikas nahi’. It’s ‘sab ka sath, Mallya ka vikas’, ‘sab ka sath, Ambani ka vikas’, Congress leader in Lok Sabha Mallikarjuna Kharge alleged.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi was a liar. While saying bhaiyo, aur behno outside the Parliament, he has been cheating the people. In the last four and half years administration, he has not implemented even a single pro-people programmes. He is not answering any questions of the opposition parties in the Parliament. When Rahul Gandhi asked about Rafale deal, he has not given any answer so far. So, the Congress has chosen the path of protest against Rafale deal, Kharge said.
The Narendra Modi government has failed on all fronts. The very purpose of demonetisation was failed. Even the GST was also failed due to lack of prior preparation. In total, they have failed on all fronts, he alleged.
Congress candidate V.S. Ugrappa, Minister D.K. Shivakumar, Former Minister Satish Jarakiholi, Rajya Sabha Member B.K. Hariprasad, MLC CM Ibrahim and others were present.
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Sadananda Gowda expresses pain over factionalism in Karnataka BJP, urges central leadership to act
Bengaluru: Senior BJP leader D V Sadananda Gowda on Thursday expressed pain over factionalism in the Karnataka unit of his party and called it a " big tragedy". The former Union Minister also expressed displeasure over the party high command's delay in taking action, despite his letters and urged them to intervene and to act against those indulging in "indiscipline".
"There were Maharashtra and Haryana polls, as polls are a big challenge, it is natural to keep aside party issues in the states, where there are no polls, for later. So there may be some delay, but I don't think they will be silent," Gowda said responding to a question on factionalism within the party and high command's silence on it.
Addressing reporters here, he said, "However, there is truth in your question, because I have written two letters, one earlier and the other recently as dissent started brewing. But there was no reply for both, which made me feel that the central leadership was not paying attention to issues here." "It is a tragedy that Karnataka, which is regarded as the gateway for the BJP to south India, today has several doors (referring to groups within)," he added.
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A group of party leaders led by senior MLA Basanagouda Patil Yatnal, that include BJP MLA Ramesh Jarkiholi are critical of state leadership, especially President B Y Vijayendra, and are even holding parallel agitations over the Waqf land issue, after staying away from protests held by the party on the same issue. Yatnal and Jarkiholi have been openly critical of Vijayendra, accusing him of indulging in "adjustment politics" with the ruling Congress, and trying to keep the party in his clutches, along with his father and veteran leader B S Yediyurappa.
Recalling that there was much stronger groupism in the party earlier between the factions led by stalwarts, who built the party in the state -- late Ananth Kumar and Yediyurappa, Gowda, who had also served as the state president in the past, said, "but the rift never came to the streets then."
"In Karnataka BJP's history, this is the first time that the internal confusions within the party have come to the streets. This is painful. None of the so called self styled senior leaders of the party in the state, including me, are in a situation to set this right, while some are not even trying to set things right as it will benefit them, there are such leaders too in the party here. So high command has to intervene," he added.
Despite the ruling Congress in Karnataka giving issues to the opposition in a "golden bowl", Gowda said, the internal differences in the party is overshadowing it, and this has pained the party workers.
"Now I don't have any other responsibility other than being part of the party's core committee, but I'm pained looking at the situation of the party that gave me everything including positions of governing the state..... This is a big tragedy," he said.
Appealing to the party leadership to have a "serious look" at the party affairs in Karnataka before the Delhi elections, the former CM even requested them not to compromise on discipline. If action is taken against those who are wrong after detailed inquiry, the party will unite once again, he said. "People of the state want BJP."
Pointing to the saffron party's defeat in the recent by-polls in Shiggaon, Sandur and Channapatna assembly segments, Gowda said, people are not discussing Congress' maladministration, but division and groupism in the BJP. "Despite the BJP having good ideas and agenda, we lack a strong system to encash it." BJP's weakness of groupism has become Congress' strength, he added. Replying to a question on Yatnal and team not accepting Vijayendra as president, Gowda said, "The state president was appointed by the national leadership and that decision has to be accepted. If anyone has reservations about it, they should tell the leadership and not discuss it on the streets."
