<p class="title">Former prime minister and JD(S)leader H D Deve Gowda offered prayers at the famous hill shrine of Lord Venkateswara near here on his 86th birthday on Saturday.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Gowda arrived here last evening along with his son and Karnataka Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy and other family members.</p>.<p class="bodytext">After offering prayers this morning, Gowda told reporters that he has been visiting the ancient shrine for the last 35 years on his birthday on May 18.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"As a member of Lok Sabha in the complex political situation, what I can do I don't know.. we are with the Congress," he said in response to a question.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Kumaraswamy predicted that the Congress-JD(S) alliance in Karnataka would secure 18 to 19 seats (out of 28) in the Lok Sabha elections.</p>.<p class="bodytext">To a query, he said there was no change in his party's stand and it would support the Congress in the formation of a new government at the Centre.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Asked about the Cauvery water sharing dispute between Karnataka and Tamil Naidu, Kumaraswamy avoided a direct reply and said he has come to Tirumala to pray to Lord Venkateswara for good rains this year.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Later, they all left for Bengaluru.</p>
<p class="title">Former prime minister and JD(S)leader H D Deve Gowda offered prayers at the famous hill shrine of Lord Venkateswara near here on his 86th birthday on Saturday.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Gowda arrived here last evening along with his son and Karnataka Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy and other family members.</p>.<p class="bodytext">After offering prayers this morning, Gowda told reporters that he has been visiting the ancient shrine for the last 35 years on his birthday on May 18.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"As a member of Lok Sabha in the complex political situation, what I can do I don't know.. we are with the Congress," he said in response to a question.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Kumaraswamy predicted that the Congress-JD(S) alliance in Karnataka would secure 18 to 19 seats (out of 28) in the Lok Sabha elections.</p>.<p class="bodytext">To a query, he said there was no change in his party's stand and it would support the Congress in the formation of a new government at the Centre.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Asked about the Cauvery water sharing dispute between Karnataka and Tamil Naidu, Kumaraswamy avoided a direct reply and said he has come to Tirumala to pray to Lord Venkateswara for good rains this year.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Later, they all left for Bengaluru.</p>