Coalition govt formed due to Cong pressure: Deve Gowda

JD(S) supremo H D Deve Gowda on Thursday asserted that the JD(S)-Congress coalition government was formed due to pressure from the Congress leadership and that he was personally not in favour of it.

Gowda’s comment has come in the wake of reports in a section of media that co-ordination committee chairman Siddaramaiah had recommended to the high command to sever ties with the JD(S).

“I did not take the initiative to form the coalition government. It was formed due to pressure from Rahul Gandhi (Congress president) and Sonia Gandhi (former Congress president). I was personally against it. But Gulam Nabi Azad held my hands and pleaded that Kumaraswamy should become CM,” Gowda told reporters on seeking his reaction to Siddaramaiah’s advise to the high command.

Siddaramaiah, who is also the Congress legislature party leader, had reportedly told the high command on Wednesday that the alliance with the JD(S) had been damaging the Congress and is said to have advised the leadership to pull back support to the H D Kumaraswamy government.

“I don’t want to comment much on media reports. But I wish to state that image of the coalition government will not be damaged by either the party (JD-S) or its leaders. We will not issue any adverse statements and ensure that there is no problem to the government...I will be focusing on strengthening the party. I don’t wish to say anything else,” he stated.

Gowda, who lost the Lok Sabha election from Tumkur parliamentary seat, claimed that he did not speak about politics during his meeting with Rahul in Delhi recently. “I only suggested him to issue a direction to the State leaders not to comment on the coalition government openly in public. Otherwise, it will dent the image of the government,” he added.