Former Prime Minister and Janata Dal (S) supremo H.D. Deve Gowda, exuding confidence of his party returning to power in Karnataka, urged party workers to forget the past and work hard for strengthening the party. “I have travelled far and wide in Karnataka and people have told me that this time, JD(S) will come to power on its own and people are fed up with the BJP and Congress rule,” he said.

The former Prime Minister was in the city yesterday to take part in the marriage ceremony of former Vice-Chancellor of University of Mysore, Prof. K.S. Rangappa’s son.

He addressed the media and a few party workers at the Government Guest House. Deve Gowda said that many people have told him that JD(S) will be supported to win in the next Assembly elections. “They said that they were tired of national parties and want to give a chance to a regional party,” he added.

He appealed to the workers to rejuvenate themselves to work for the success of the party and said he considered JD(S) as a party belonging to all sections    of society and not confined to any particular caste, group or community.

“People have seen the rule of the Congress and the BJP and both the party have plundered the State and their scandals are there all over the media,” the ex-PM said.

Alleging that efforts were being made to destroy the JD(S) in the State, he challenged his political opponents and said “the design to decimate my party will not succeed.” He accused the Congress and BJP of pushing the State to brink of bankruptcy with their maladministration.

Denying reports that he insulted rebel MLA Cheluvarayaswamy, Deve Gowda said that disrespecting someone was not his culture. “Politics is different and personal behaviour is different,” he said. The party is in the process of identifying candidates to fill the posts of rebel MLAs, he added.

Referring to the by-elections for Nanjangud and Gundlupet, he said that State JD(S) President H.D. Kumaraswamy was touring the two constituencies and he will decide on the candidates after considering the opinions from the party workers.

Digvijay Singh – Deve Gowda meet

A brief coincidental meeting took place between AICC General Secretary Digvijay Singh and former Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda at the Government Guest House in Mysuru yesterday.

As Deve Gowda was interacting with the media after attending the marriage of former Vice-Chancellor of University of Mysore Prof. K.S. Rangappa’s son, Digvijay Singh, who was in Mysuru on a vacation, walked in to greet the former PM. Digvijay Singh had earlier stayed at Bandipur National Park for over 3 days. After brief exchange of pleasantries, Singh departed.