JD(S) to fight Lok Sabha polls independently, says Deve Gowda but keeps options open
Bengaluru (PTI): The Janata Dal (Secular) would fight the Lok Sabha elections independently, the party supremo and former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda, said on Tuesday but appeared to keep the options open amid the recent bonhomie between the party and the BJP.
The party would decide on its action in future based on the prevailing situation, he said.
Deve Gowda also said he was not invited to the meeting of opposition parties here earlier this month as a section of the Congress in Karnataka was opposed to such a move even though Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar wanted him to be there.
Gowda's son and former Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy said last week his party would work together with the BJP against the Congress government in Karnataka on various issues, fueling speculation of the two parties joining hands for next year's polls.
Both the JD (S) and the BJP MLAs had boycotted the Assembly session after ten BJP legislators were suspended from the House for "indecent and disrespectful conduct" in the House.
"JD(S) will fight the Lok Sabha elections independently", Deve Gowda told a news conference here.
"Whether we (the party) win five, six, three, two or one seats, we will fight the Lok Sabha elections independently", he said. "We will field candidates only in those places where we are strong after consulting with our workers".
Gowda, however, said the party will decide its future course of action based on the prevailing situation.
In this context, he recalled how his party had given support to the Congress-led government led by the then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.
The JD (S) and the Congress had fought the 2019 Lok Sabha elections together. The BJP had won 25 out of 28 seats in Karnataka then.
The JD (S) and the Congress had secured one seat each, while an independent backed by the BJP had also won.
Deve Gowda, who had contested from Tumakuru Lok Sabha segment, had also lost.
To a question on why he was not invited by the opposition parties for its meeting in Bengaluru on July 17, Gowda said a section of Congress leaders from Karnataka had opposed his presence.
"A section of Congress here (in Karnataka) had threatened that they will not attend the event if Deve Gowda is invited. Hence, I was not called," he said.
Deve Gowda said Nitish Kumar wanted to invite him but some local Congress leaders were not in favour.
The JD(S) put up a poor show in the elections to the 224-member Karnataka Assembly in May, bagging only 19 seats.
"The party has existed till today since 1983 and will continue to exist. Those who think that the party will end are living under illusion. It is not possible," Gowda said.
According to Gowda, the 19 MLAs, seven MLCs and top leaders had a meeting last week and chalked out programmes for campaigning in the districts, which will be finalised after Kumaraswamy returns from abroad.
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Army rescues 135 tourists from landslides-hit North Sikkim, many still stranded
Gangtok (PTI): A total of 135 stranded tourists have been rescued by the Army from North Sikkim, where multiple landslides have snapped road connectivity, officials said on Thursday.
Around 1,000 tourists remain stranded in Lachen, with sustained efforts underway to ensure their rescue at the earliest, they said.
The rescue operation is being carried out by the Trishakti Corps under the Eastern Command amid heavy snowfall, they added.
Critical passes have been opened and alternate routes activated to facilitate the rescue mission, named 'Operation Him Setu', officials said.
A total of 32 light vehicles and 10 motorcycles have been moved out so far, with Army vehicles deployed to tow civilian vehicles across steep, snowbound stretches, they said.
Medical emergencies and those requiring immediate assistance are being prioritised, officials said.
The Border Roads Organisation (BRO) is working in close coordination with the Army, undertaking continuous road clearance, snow removal and restoration of connectivity despite challenging terrain and weather, they said.
"Our foremost priority is the safety and well-being of every citizen. Our teams remain committed to providing all necessary assistance on the ground," an Army official said.
Multiple landslides have disrupted road connectivity between Lachen and Chungthang, an area close to the India-China border.
