JD(S) will form govt, says Gowda; you can’t win more than 25 seats, replies Siddaramaiah

Hassan/Mysuru, Apr 3: Janata Dal (S) supremo H D Deve Gowda has exuded confidence that his party will prove that it is the 'A' team and form the government in the state defeating both the national parties, the Congress and the BJP.

Addressing a gathering as part of 'Vikasa Parva' rally in Hassan on Monday, the former prime minister attacked All India Congress Congress president Rahul Gandhi who had called the JD(S) the 'B' team of the BJP, and Chief Minister Siddaramaiah.

"Rahul Gandhi reads out the speech prepared by local leaders, condemning the JD(S). He has not given any assurance to coconut, arecaunut and potato growers of the district," Gowda he said.

"Siddaramaiah, who began his political journey from the Janata Parivar, became chief minister. But, he has been declaring a war against the JD(S), to destroy the party. The people would teach him a befitting lesson in the elections," he warned.

Former chief minister and JD(S) state president H D Kumaraswamy said the party will form the government on May 18, the birthday of former prime minister H D Deve Gowda. Both, the Congress and the BJP have been betraying the people of the state, he stated.JD(S) leaders P G R Sindhia, A H Vishwanath and H D Revanna were among those addrssed the well-attended rally.

Meanwhile, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah continued his tirade against the Janata Dal (Secular) while campaigning in the Chamundeshwari constituency on Monday by saying that it would not win more than 25 seats in the Assembly elections. He sought votes on the basis of his five-year track record.

Addressing the public at Jayapura, Mr. Siddaramaiah said the Congress would sweep the polls. “Yeddyurappa and Kumaraswamy are dreaming of coming to power, but it is me who will become Chief Minister again,” he said. The JD(S) won 40 seats in the last elections and this time it would not win more than 25 seats, Mr. Siddaramaiah said. “I have travelled all over Karnataka and there is a surge in the Congress popularity owing to development works taken up in the last five years, which has benefited all sections of society,” he added.

Standing on a goods vehicle, fitted with microphone to address the gathering, Mr. Siddaramaiah said he started his political career from this constituency in 1983 and wanted to contest from the same constituency one last time.

But his plea for votes on the basis of development programmes was also laced with an emotional appeal as he repeatedly sought to remind them that it was his last election.