Mid-term polls in Karnataka imminent, says Deve Gowda

In a development that created ripples in political circles, JD(S) supremo H D Deve Gowda on Friday said mid-term polls for the State Assembly are imminent and that he is not sure how long the Congress-JD(S) coalition government would last.

"I am not sure how long the coalition government would last. Going by the developments in the past two months, mid-term polls seem imminent. People can understand everything... Let me see how things pan out," he told a Kannada news channel.

Gowda had on Thursday said that the JD(S)-Congress coalition government was formed due to Congress' pressure and that he was personally not in favour of it.

His comments had come in the wake of reports that coordination committee chairman Siddaramaiah had recommended to the party high command to sever ties with the JD(S). Siddaramaiah had told the Congress leadership that the party's image was getting damaged due to its alliance with the JD(S).

Ball in Congress' court

Gowda further said that the ball is now in the Congress' court and that the fate of the coalition hinges on the grand old party. "It (longevity of the government) depends on the Congress leaders. Let them decide what they want. In fact, it was the Congress leadership which wanted the coalition government," he stated.

He said the Congress wanted to join hands with the JD(S) with an aim to stop BJP's B S Yeddyurappa from becoming the CM. Besides, the JD(S) has given away the Cabinet berth from its quota to the Congress in the interest of the coalition. Still, the Congress leaders were unhappy.

Reacting to Gowda's comments, Congress MLA Munirathna said if the JD(S) was not happy with the Congress, let it end the alliance and go to polls.