Bengaluru: Former Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda has predicted early polls to Karnataka Assembly and announced scheduling of political conventions to put JD(S) on poll mode.

Speaking to media persons at JP Bhavan, the JD(S) party office in Bengaluru yesterday, he said that considering the manner in which the Congress and the BJP were preparing for the elections, there was every possibility of the government opting for early polls.

He declared that the JD(S) would not lag behind in preparations and the party was ready to face the electoral battle. He cited BJP State President B.S. Yeddyurappa visiting Dalit families and having food at their homes, and AICC General Secretary and Karnataka In-charge K.C. Venugopal conducting a series of meetings with party leaders and workers as hints of early polls. Congress had appointed Venugopal and other office-bearers keeping early election in mind, he added.

The JD(S) was all set to hold political conventions. A State-level women’s convention would be held in Bengaluru on July 20 and a farmers’ convention this month-end, Gowda said. “At the convention, we will ask the party’s women workers to launch a campaign demanding reservation for women,” he added.

He challenged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to meet the promise on reservation for women made before the Lok Sabha polls.

PRAJWAL APOLOGISES

Prajwal Revanna, son of senior JD(S) leader H.D. Revanna, has apologised for his “Suitcase Culture in JD(S)” comment. “Prajwal has apologised to me for his comments. He has confessed to his mistake and is repenting for it. I have asked him to apologise to his uncle and JD(S) State President H.D. Kumaraswamy. Prajwal has agreed to do so,” Deve Gowda told reporters here on Sunday.

“He has regretted a lot and has ensured that it will not be repeated in the future. This issue should be dropped off as Prajwal himself has realised his mistake and I request that even media should not exaggerate or sensationalise it,” added Gowda.

Kumaraswamy, who was upset with Prajwal’s comments, had offered to step down. Conveying his feelings to his father Deve Gowda, he had requested him to assign the responsibility of leading the party to Revanna and Prajwal.

However, Gowda shot down the suggestion and has asked Kumaraswamy to forgive Prajwal considering him as an immature boy who is yet to come to terms with political intricacies.