JOIN USJanata Dal (Secular) supremo H D Deve Gowda on Tuesday ruled out having pre-poll alliance with the Congress or any secular parties, citing time constraint.
Speaking to reporters in Bengaluru, Gowda said that earlier in the day, members of the Samvidhana Rakshanegagi Karnataka had met him and urged him to forge an alliance with the Congress to ensure the "communal" BJP's defeat in the elections. "But where is the time to do this? They have said that the BJP should be defeated in the elections," he said.
Gowda also said that his conversation with the members of the organisation had been misinterpreted by the media.
After the members of the organisation sought the secular forces to unite, Gowda is learnt to have told them to ask the Congress to release its list on seat sharing with the JD(S). This had fueled speculations that the JD(S) was forging a pre-poll alliance with the Congress. It also created a buzz in the political circles, as, just the day before, Gowda had launched a scathing attack against Congress and its national president Rahul Gandhi.
Gowda, however, made it clear that he was not entertaining any such thoughts. "I was saddened by these speculations. The JD(S) has formed an alliance with the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP). The party is also exploring a pre-poll alliance with the Samajwadi Party (SP). There is no time to explore alliances with any other parties. I was sarcastic when I spoke about an alliance with the Congress. I have already clarified that the JD(S) will not form an alliance with either the BJP or Congress," he added.
Later, party spokesperson Ramesh Babu issued a statement clarifying that the Samvidhana Rakshanegagi Karnataka members were "supporters" of the Congress and that the members had approached the JD(S) to "mislead" the electorate.