Dinesh rubbishes GTD's remarks on JD(S) vote for BJP

State Congress president Dinesh Gundu Rao on Wednesday took exception to Higher Education Minister G T Deve Gowda’s statement that a section of JD(S) supporters have voted for the BJP in the election to Mysuru-Kodagu parliamentary constituency recently due to confusion in the Congress-JD(S) alliance.

Gowda, who is also Mysuru district incharge minister, said delay in ensuring proper understanding between the Congress and the JD(S) workers had led to confusion in some parts of Mysuru. The joint campaign was started only when five days were left for polling, he stated.

Reacting to Gowda’s statement, Gundu Rao said it is not proper to issue such statements by the Minister. “The alliance between the Congress and the JD(S) was decided much in advance. It shows that sincere efforts were not made during the campaign,” he added.

Gundu Rao also admitted that there were some problems in Kolar, Mandya and Mysuru parliamentary constituencies as far as understanding between the alliance partners. “Had the workers of both the parties worked properly, the combine was a position to win more than 24 seats in the state. Still we are confident that the alliance will more seats than the BJP,” he stated.

The Congress-JD(S) alliance had fielded C H Vijayashankar, who recently joined the Congress after quitting the BJP. The JD(S) workers had initially refused to work for the Congress in Mysuru during the elections. Later Siddaramaiah and Gowda tried to iron out the differences and conducted joint campaigns. BJP’s Pratap Simha was seeking re-election in Mysuru-Kodau constituency.