Let’s vow to close southern gateway for BJP: Deve Gowda

JD(S) supremo H D Deve Gowda on Thursday asked the cadre of both his party and that of the Congress to vow that the “gateway to the south will be closed for the BJP.”

In political parlance, Karnataka is referred to as the BJP’s gateway to the south as it was in this state that the first BJP government was formed in south India.

Gowda was addressing workers of the Congress-JD(S) coalition for Bangalore North Lok Sabha seat, where Rural Development and Panchayat Raj minister Krishna Byre Gowda is taking on Union Minister D V Sadananda Gowda of the BJP.

“We will win at least 21 seats in Karnataka,” Gowda said. “Whatever problems exist in the Mahagathbandhan (grand alliance) should be resolved. If the BJP comes back to power again, the country is sure to face peril,” he said.

To avert this, the Congress-JD(S) coalition must win all three Lok Sabha seats in Bangalore, Gowda said. “I’ve proved myself as the prime minister and I will work beyond my strength,” he told workers of both parties, urging them to display unity at any cost.

Byre Gowda’s candidature was announced in the last minute after the JD(S) returned the Bangalore North seat to the Congress. Byre Gowda, however, was reluctant to contest as he believed it was too late for him to enter the fray.

“We must forget the petty differences in the coalition government. The media has not discussed our achievements ever since the government was formed. Congress’ Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi have given the chief minister’s post to a regional party of 37 MLAs. We should despatch a good message to them from here,” Gowda said.

‘Speak and get fired’

Gowda also warned party workers of action if they spoke against the Congress-JD(S) coalition and its candidates. “Nobody should speak ill about our candidates. Whoever does, I will throw them out of the party,” Gowda said. Workers of both parties should reach the booths and energise the grassroots, he said.

Change in Davangere?

The Congress could be forced to reconsider its candidature for the Davangere Lok Sabha seat as Shamanur Shivashankarappa has refused the ticket, citing old age. He is 88. It is said that Shamanur had asked the party to consider his son, former minister S S Mallikarjun, for the ticket. However, it has now emerged that the party is looking at Davangere Congress president H B Manjappa and Tejasvi Patel, son of former chief minister, late J H Patel.