I am the phoenix that Deve Gowda had said would rise from the ashes: HD Kumaraswamy
Bengaluru, May 13: Claiming to be the "phoenix" that his father H D Deve Gowda had referred to, while demitting the office of the Prime Minister in 1997, JD(S) leader H D Kumaraswamy on Friday kick-starting his party's poll campaign for 2023 Karnataka assembly polls, vowed to establish a government of Kannadigas in the state.
The former chief minister sought an opportunity for JD(S) to independently form a government in the state, for a full five-year term.
"...about 25-26 years ago, my father lost the Prime Minister's post and came back. Even at this age if any former Prime Minister is fighting for the cause of farmers and people of the state, it is a Kannadiga Deve Gowda, whom you nurtured," Kumaraswamy said.
Addressing a massive public meeting on the outskirts of the city, he said, "Respected (Nanjavadutha) Swamiji (who was present in the rally) pointing out that Deve Gowda had long ago stated that he would rise like a phoenix from the ashes, said that phoenix is none other thatn Kumaraswamy. Yes...I will rise like that phoenix with the blessings of God and people of the state."
With the blessings of everyone in 2023, JD(S) will establish a government of and by Kannadigas in Karnataka to solve their problems, he said, adding that "...we have taken up this challenge."
In the speech he made in Parliament before laying down office as Prime Minister on April 21, 1997, Deve Gowda had claimed that he would "rise like a phoenix from the ashes".
JD(S) patriarch and former PM Deve Gowda, state party chief C M Ibrahim, Nanjavadutha Swamiji of Spatikapuri Math, a host of party leaders and legislators were present at the rally.
The JD(S) that has set a target of winning 123 seats in the 225 member Assembly hosted a massive public meeting on the outskirts of the city to begin its campaign for the 2023 Assembly polls in the state, and to mark the conclusion of its 'Janata Jaladhare' campaign.
The Janata Jaladhare was a statewide campaign to create awareness on water rights, and convey the party's promise of using the state's rivers effectively if voted to power. It has covered about 140 assembly constituencies across the state.
'Ganga Aarti' was performed by a team that had come from Varanasi at the conclusion of the rally.
"We want the JD(S) to come to power in the state with your blessings. It is not for me to become Chief Minister once again. I have already been CM twice, but not with the complete blessings of the people of the state. It was due to certain political developments," Kumaraswamy said.
He said both times he was under pressure from coalition partners (first BJP and second Congress) and was unable to take decisions independently in the interest of the state.
Deve Gowda in his address said this rally will mark the beginning for the JD(S) to come to power in the state.
"I appeal to people to bring the regional party to power on its own strength in Karnataka...the struggle for reaching the target of 123 seats will begin from here," he said.
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Punjab: AAP wins Zila parishad, Panchayat polls stamp of approval for Mann govt, says Kejriwal
Chandigarh (PTI): The ruling Aam Aadmi Party registered an emphatic victory in the rural body elections in Punjab, winning 63 per cent zones of zila parishads and 54 per cent zones of panchayat samitis.
According to the results of elections declared on Thursday, the Congress secured the second spot, while the Shiromani Akali Dal got the third. The BJP was at the fourth position in the rural polls.
Meanwhile, AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal said his party's strong showing in the elections showed that people in rural areas put their stamp of approval on the Bhagwant Mann-led government.
Complete results of the polls came on Thursday after the completion of counting of ballot papers, which began on Tuesday.
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Polling was held on December 14 to elect members for 347 zones of 22 zila parishads and 2,838 zones of 153 panchayat samitis.
In zila parishad, AAP registered victory in 218 zones, while the Congress won 62 zones.
The Sukhbir Singh Badal-led SAD got 46 zones, BJP seven, BSP three and Independents 10.
In case of panchayat samitis, AAP won 1,531 zones, while the Congress secured 612 and SAD 445 zones. The BJP registered victory in 73 zones and the BSP in 28 zones. Independents won 144 zones, according to the result.
Reacting to the result, Kejriwal said it showed that there was a wave in favour of his party in the state.
"It shows that people in rural areas have put their stamp of approval on works undertaken by the AAP government under the leadership of Bhagwant Mann," he said as he spoke about anti-drug drive, canal water reaching fields after a "gap of 75 years", free electricity, and government jobs on merit basis.
Kejriwal also vehemently rejected the Opposition's accusations of "high-handedness" in the polling and asserted that the elections were conducted in fair and free manner.
Though the poll results showed a resounding victory of the ruling party in rural areas, the Congress and SAD also challenged AAP at some of the zones.
The poll results suggested that the Congress gave a tough fight to the ruling party in SBS Nagar, Rupnagar, Ferozepur, Jalandhar and Ludhiana while SAD made its presence felt in Muktsar, Faridkot and Bathinda.
In zila parishads, the Congress secured six zones out of 10 in SBS Nagar, five out of 10 in Rupnagar, six out of 14 in Ferozepur, seven out of 21 in Jalandhar, and eight out of 25 in Ludhiana.
In panchayat samitis, the grand old party got 34 out of 82 zones in SBS Nagar, 50 out of 93 in Rupnagar, 61 out of 188 in Jalandhar and 73 out of 235 in Ludhiana.
SAD showed strong performance in the zila parishad of Bathinda where it won 13 out of 17 zones, seven out of 13 in Muktsar and five out of 10 in Faridkot.
In panchayat samitis, the Badal-led outfit won 79 zones out of 137 in Bathinda, 25 of 65 in Faridkot and 48 of 95 in Muktsar, the results showed.
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The BJP won three zones of Fazilka zila parishad and four in Pathankot zila parishad.
Meanwhile, the candidates backed by gangster-turned-politician Gurmeet Singh Sekhon won the Bajidpur and Ferozeshah zones in Ferozepur. These candidates were also supported by SAD.
Punjab Congress chief Amrinder Singh Raja Warring accused the AAP government of "stealing" polls.
"@AAPPunjab may bask in STOLEN GLORY of 'sweeping' the rural mandate, but it knows pretty well where it stands. We know it. They know it. People of Punjab know it. They have NOT swept the elections, they have STOLEN these," Warring alleged in a post on X.
Opposition parties Congress and SAD had earlier accused the ruling AAP of indulging in high-handedness and misusing the official machinery against opposition candidates.
