JD(S) leader H D Deve Gowda has said that if the BJP wins the Assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh, then that would be the beginning of downfall of regional parties in the country.
Interacting with media persons in Bengaluru on Wednesday, Gowda said for the BJP, Karnataka is the gateway for the South. “The gate is slightly shut now. The focus of ‘twin brothers’ — Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP National President Amit Shah —would shift completely to Karnataka after the UP polls.
The former prime minister said that regional parties are facing difficulties. The BJP is a strong party with 282 seats in the Lok Sabha. It is difficult to destabilise the party. Regional parties are not in a position to stall the growth of the BJP with the Congress not even a recognised Opposition in the Lok Sabha, he pointed out. “The regional parties are in a difficult situation. To what extent they will try to rise to the occasion to protect democratic system is to be seen,” he said.
Gowda said Modi campaigned in his home constituency of Varanasi for three days holding roads shows. “This could perhaps be due to the apprehension that he has not been able to keep the promises made to the people during the Lok Sabha polls,” Gowda said.
Replying to queries, Gowda said the people of the state wanted his son and JD(S) state president H D Kumaraswamy to become chief minister once again. “People who have been witness to the governance of B S Yeddyurappa and Siddaramaiah feel this man (Kumaraswamy) should be given one more chance,” Gowda added.
Gowda said only two members from his family —Kumaraswamy and H D Revanna — will contest the Assembly polls next year.
To a question on BJP inviting former chief minister S M Krishna to join the party, Gowda said, “Krishna is a senior leader and I cannot speak lightly about him. At the same time, we should all introspect that BJP treated senior leaders like B Rajashekara Murthy and S Bangarappa shabbily after they joined the party,” Gowda said.
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