The coalition partners Congress and the JD(S) in Karnataka announced a slew of measures to take on the BJP, in Karnataka. In a joint Press conference in Bengaluru on Tuesday the Congress and JD(S) leaders decided to work together to decimate the BJP. Former prime minister and JDs chief HD Devegowda who was part of the discussion on working out strategies to counter BJP has vowed to reduce them to a single digit. The leaders including former chief minister and chairman of coordination committee Siddaramaiah, Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy and other leaders jointly announced a slew of measures to ensure their alliance worked without any glitches.
Maintaining suspense about contesting Lok Sabha polls, JD(S) patriarch H D Deve Gowda said he is yet to decide, and was thinking about his "usefulness" in the national capital. The 85-year-old former Prime Minister citing his age said, he lacks the strength that he had in 1996, when he became the Prime Minister, but there is "enthusiasm".
He said “Our opponents today are not Congress, it is BJP. So if I'm able to do even a bit for this country under the leadership of Rahul Gandhi, I can stand along with him… Still I have not made up my mind. I'm still thinking, from other states also leaders are saying- you are an elderly person, having the experience of governing the country- it is a different matter, we will sit and decide…." .
"From where should I be contesting or not to, I think I have that much of basic freedom to decide….let's decide on it within a few days, there is no problem. But, I'm thinking to myself about my usefulness in Delhi, I'm watching it…I will decide," Gowda said.
Pointing out that a few days ago while speaking in the Parliament, he had indicated that it was his last speech, he said, but a few friends had asked him to contest this time. "I'm yet to decide."
On deciding to contest, he along with coalition leaders including Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy and former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah will decide on the constituency, he added.
Amid lack of clarity on contesting polls, speculations are rife that Deve Gowda, who has conceded his constituency Hassan to grandson Prajwal Revanna will be contesting from either Bangalore North or Tumkur constituency. His another grandson and Chief Minister Kumaraswamy's son Nikhil Kumaraswamy is contesting from Mandya Lok Sabha seat, another party bastion. There is also speculation in the political circles that he may not contest at all. JDs sources say that in view of the backlash he might retain Hassan where he is confidant of sailing through.
Karnataka has 28 Lok Sabha seats and will go to polls on April 18 and April 23. As part of a pre-poll alliance, the Congress will contest 20 seats and the JD(S) eight. He said "Nominations have started and time is very less. Whatever misunderstanding we have between us, we have to resolve them now without letting them to continue."
However senior dalit leader and deputy chief minister G Parameshwara was conspicuous of his absence.