Election has become more important than farmers' interests: Gowda

JD(S) supremo H D Deve Gowda on Wednesday said that the state would not have faced such a situation in the Cauvery River water sharing issue, if the MPs from Karnataka were as committed as their Tamil Nadu counterparts.

Speaking at a JD(S)-BSP meeting, here, Gowda pointed out that Lok Sabha members from Tamil Nadu had not allowed the conduct of the Parliament session for 18 days over the Cauvery issue. "If only our MPs had extended their support to me, I would not have allowed any injustice to Karnataka. I will still fight for the Cauvery issue," he said.

"While Tamil Nadu film actors staged a dharna and satyagraha, supporting farmers' demand for constitution of the Cauvery Management Board, there is no such agitation here. The elections have become more important in Karnataka, than farmers' interests," he said.

Gowda flays CM

"There was my photograph at Vidhana Soudha, as a mark of respect to a former prime minister. No former chief minister tried to remove it. But, the present CM has removed my picture. What if he removes it from Vidhana Soudha. I am in the heart of the people of Karnataka as son of the soil," Gowda said.

He took a dig at Chief Minister Siddaramaiah for releasing Rs 20,000 crore in just two months for various development works. "There are possibilities of the money being misused by the party in power. If the people give us the mandate, I will protect the land and water and will not allow any injustice to the state," he said.

MLA H D Revanna explained the efforts of Deve Gowda in having 18 trains on the Hassan-Mysuru route and the four-lane road between Hassan and Bengaluru. People understand the contributions of Gowda to the Old Mysuru region, he said.

He criticised the Congress party for dividing the Lingayat-Veerashaiva communities for votes. The people should select the right candidate, he added.