H D Deve Gowda
Credit: DH File Photo
Former prime minister and JD(S) national president H D Deve Gowda, who had earlier said the alliance with BJP in the state will continue for all future elections, took a U-turn on Friday and said it is “difficult” to continue the alliance for the upcoming local body elections.
Addressing a news conference, he said, “The alliance with the BJP will continue for the Legislative Assembly and Lok Sabha polls. But the alliance will be difficult for Urban Local Bodies, including Zilla Panchayat, Taluk Panchayat and other local bodies.”
Gowda clarified that the JD(S) would contest the Zilla Panchayat, Taluk Panchayat, and other local body elections without an alliance at places where it has strength. “We will fight on our own in some places,” he said.
Responding to the recent statement by BJP state president B Y Vijayendra, Gowda further stated, “Is it possible to discuss alliance for local body elections with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah? The BJP state president has already clarified his stand about the issue.”
Vijayendra recently said that the BJP alone would win 130-140 seats if the elections were held immediately in the state. According to sources, the JD(S) supremo is peeved by this claim.