G.T. Deve Gowda, former Minister and senior JD(S) MLA, has sought to scotch speculations over his partymen crossing over to the ruling Congress ahead of the Lok Sabha elections scheduled to be held next year.
Speaking to reporters in Mysuru on Saturday, August 19, Mr. Gowda, who also heads the JD(S) Core Committee, said no JD(S) leader will join Congress that has already made it clear there is no space in the Ministry as the party had won with a huge majority.
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Mr. Gowda’s reaction comes a day after Agriculture Minister N. Cheluvarayaswamy told reporters in Mysuru on Friday, that 10 to 15 JD(S) and BJP leaders, including MLAs and former MLAs will be joining the Congress shortly. “There is nobody in the JD(S) who wishes to join Congress,” Mr. Gowda said.
To a question on the speculation over the Congress making efforts to lure JD(S) leader C.S. Puttaraju and field him as their candidate in the Lok Sabha elections, Mr. Gowda said the Congress has enough and more ticket aspirants for the Lok Sabha elections. The party leadership has even indicated that Ministers capable of winning the elections will also be fielded for the Lok Sabha polls.
“So, what is the need for people from the JD(S) for the Congress? They don’t need them. And even our partymen do not want to go to a party, where there is no opportunity,” he said.
Mr. Puttaraju will remain in the JD(S) and strengthen the party, he said, adding that the JD(S) will be beginning an exercise to identify candidates in all the Lok Sabha constituencies of Karnataka.
He said the party will contest all the 28 Lok Sabha seats in Karnataka while ruling out the possibility of tying with the BJP.
When it was pointed out to him that both his and former Minister S.R. Mahesh’s names were doing the rounds for Mysuru Lok Sabha constituency, Mr. Gowda said first preference will be given to Mahesh or other candidates. He will be a candidate only when there are no suitable candidates and the party leadership asks him to enter the fray.
