Justifying the Janata Dal (Secular) alliance with BJP, former Prime Minister and JD(S) supremo H.D. Deve Gowda said that they entered into an alliance to defeat the Congress in Karnataka.
“We want to defeat Congress. We are determined to see Congress in Karnataka is demolished and the era of Congress should come to an end,” the former Prime Minister told mediapersons in Bengaluru on January 5. “Chief Minister Siddaramaiah is expecting the Congress to win 20 Lok Sabha seats. He is dreaming. Probably, the people in Karnataka will vote beyond expectations,” he said.
On voicing support to the BJP in the ongoing kar sevak controversy, the former Prime Minister said, “The JD (S), as an NDA partner, is entitled to express its views on the issue.”
The JD(S) and BJP are expected to announce seat-sharing formula for the 28 Lok Sabha seats in Karnataka after Sankranti. Mr. Gowda said that the seat sharing details will be cleared after the festival. JD(S) is expected to stake claim for four to five seats in the Old Mysuru region.
Accusing Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar of transporting money during the recently held assembly elections in five States, Mr. Gowda said, “How much money has been transported? Whose resources were they? They belonged to Karnataka. It is an open secret that Mr. Shivakumar ferried cash everywhere.”
