With the campaign for the  bypolls to three Lok Sabha  constituencies in Karnataka drawing to a close,  former Prime Minister and JD(S) supremo HD Deve Gowda is pitching for Congress president Rahul Gandhi as the Prime Ministerial candidate.

He was campaigning at Ballari constituency for the Congress candidate supported by the JD(S) where he reiterated secular forces should join hands to defeat the BJP in the 2019 LS election.

Karnataka is facing three bypolls in Shivamogga, Ballari and Mandya where the BJP is taking head on candidates supported by both the Congress and the JD(S).

Gowda on Tuesday reiterated .that all secular parties should come together to prevent the BJP from retaining power at the Centre after the 2019 Lok Sabha election and also to bring communal harmony in the country.

Addressing a joint press conference with Congress leaders at Ballari, Gowda said that he never considers AICC president Rahul Gandhi as an ordinary leader and there was nothing wrong if he wishes to become Prime Minister.

He said,  "The Congress is a grand old party of 130 years and Gandhi is capable of becoming the Prime Minister of the country.  The BJP is under the impression that BSP chief Mayawati is not part of the grand alliance, which is not true. All secular forces have come together.  At last, we have realised that we can’t do anything without the Congress."

Gowda said that non-BJP parties emerged victorious in 12 by-elections out of 13 held in the country after all the secular forces came together. The result will be same after the November 3 by-election to three Lok Sabha seats and two Assembly constituencies in the State. It will be an indicator to the Lok Sabha election next year.

He said that the ruling JD(S) and Congress Government has not neglected the North Karnataka and Hyderabad Karnataka region as alleged by BJP.  “The Coalition Government is not discriminating against north Karnataka on the basis of election results. We are for all-round development of the State.”

Gowda said that JD(S) and Congress leaders are jointly campaigning for the victory of the Congress Candidate VS Ugrappa in Ballari.

In another development Former Minister and mining magnate, Gali Janardhana Reddy, said that the Congress has created an environment of terror around his Bengaluru home. "Because of this development, a sense of insecurity has sunk into my mind,". "Having been haunted by a feeling of being unsafe, I have been planning to shift my residence to a village in either north Karnataka or Hyderabad Karnataka region for better security," he added. Reddy along with another powerful leader Sriramulu is campaigning for J Shantha who is contesting from BJP in the Ballari by election taking on JDs Congress candidate Ugrappa.

He said "They say I was involved with illegal mining worth one lac crore rupees. If so, how come the previous Congress Government at the centre failed to recover anything from me? If the allegations are true, how did CBI file chargesheet against me for loss of Rs 200 to Rs 300 crore," he questioned. He also said he is ready for a debate with Congress leaders on this issue. He even said he is ready for open debate on this issue.

Former Chief Minister, Siddaramaiah said he is ready to accept the challenge posed by Janardhan Reddy for a debate. Better if he keeps his mouth shut. "If he continues to prod us, his bail will be cancelled, and he will have to stay inside jail again," he warned.