Oppn parties should fight BJP unitedly: Deve Gowda

Former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda on Saturday said with the general elections close at hand, the opposition parties should forget their differences and come together to fight the BJP unitedly.

The Janata Dal (Secular) supremo said a small group of senior leaders should be formed to decide on a roadmap on how they will ensure good governance.

The herculean task of seat-sharing for the coming Lok Sabha elections has to be addressed to ensure direct fight against the BJP, he said.

"People want a new government," he said addressing a mammoth rally organised by Mamata Banerjee at the Brigade Parade Ground here.

"A stable government is needed to build a strong nation, but after getting 282 seats in the 2014 elections, Narendra Modi instead of building a strong nation, wants to destroy the secular nature of the country and destroy all constitutional institutions," Deve Gowda said.

Stating that a question often asked is who would be the prime minister after Modi, he said the opposition leaders must have confidence that they can give a stable government for five years. This must be ensured by the galaxy of leaders congregated at the rally.

Gowda said Modi claims that coalition government is unstable and cannot achieve anything, but the opposition has to show that it can give a stable government and develop the nation.

Referring to the coalition government led by him between June 1996- April 1997, he said it had sanctioned the Bogibeel bridge in Assam, which was inaugurated by Prime Minister Modi recently.

"Delhi Metro was also cleared by my government, 36 crore poor people were helped through rice, wheat and kerosene oil at subsidised prices," Gowda said, stressing that a coalition government can ensure the development of people and the nation.