Bengaluru: In a bid to dismiss reports that all is not well between the ruling JD(S)-Congress coalition partners, top leaders of both the parties held a press meet at a private hotel here this morning.
This was the first platform where former CM Siddharamaiah of the Congress and JD(S) Supremo H.D. Deve Gowda came together in over a decade, after Siddharamaiah quit the JD(S) in 2006 to join the Congress.
Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy, KPCC President Dinesh Gundu Rao, Deputy CM Dr. G. Parameshawara, water Resources Minister D.K. Shivakumar were the other top leaders who addressed the meet, which has assumed significance in the wake of Nov. 3 by-poll to three LS seats and two Assembly constituencies in the State.
Addressing the press meet first, former CM and MLA Siddharamaiah, expressed confidence that the coalition partners would win all the five seats going to the by-polls on Nov. 3.
Siddharamaiah maintained that opposition unity has started from Karnataka and will be taken forward to all India level as Lok Sabha polls near.
Pointing out that the Congress which is contesting the Balari Lok Sabha by-poll and Jamkhandi assembly by-poll, the former CM said that the Congress has extended support to the JD(S) in Shivamogga and Mandya LS by poll and Ramanagaram assembly segment as per a mutual understanding. Reiterating that the JD(S)- Congress combine will bag all the five seats, the former CM claimed that the outcome of the Nov.3 by polls will be an indicator for the 2019 LS polls.
Kumaraswamy, who was the second to address the press meet, called for an organised campaign between the workers of two parties for ensuring victory in by polls. Emphasising on the need to keep BJP out of power, he observed that the by-polls was a litmus test for opposition unity ahead of the 2019 LS polls.
Even as the leaders were addressing the press meet, the sad news of the demise of Thontadarya Siddalingaswami of Gadag came, following which a two-minute silence was observed as a mark of respect to the departed seer.
This post was published on October 20, 2018 6:33 pm