Mandya: Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Sunday claimed that former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda felt compelled to form an alliance between JD(S) and the BJP because many of his MLAs were on the verge of resigning from the party.
Siddaramaiah accused JD(S) patriarch Deve Gowda of orchestrating a "drama" to prevent the JD(S) from becoming "zero".
Deve Gowda saved JD(S) from becoming zero
Addressing a public meeting in Malavalli, Mandya district, the Chief Minister reminded the audience that the JD(S) had secured 37 seats in the 2018 elections but suffered a setback in 2023, winning only 19 seats in the assembly elections. "Fearing that they will be 'zero', they forged an alliance with the BJP because many JD(S) MLAs were ready to quit their party. To stop them, Deve Gowda staged the drama [of BJP-JD(S) alliance]," he said.
Siddaramaiah recalled a statement made by Deve Gowda where he expressed a preference to be reborn as a 'Musalman' in his next life. However, Siddaramaiah pointed out the irony of Deve Gowda's current alliance with the BJP, despite this statement.
'Remove word secular from your party'
"I pray to you with folded hands, please remove the word 'secular' from your party Janata Dal (Secular). You have no moral right to use the word 'secular' anymore after forming an alliance with the communal BJP," the Chief Minister said, targeting his remarks at the JD(S).
He appealed to the people of Mandya to vote for the Congress, highlighting the party's fulfilment of five key guarantees, including the 'Shakti' scheme offering free bus rides to women in non-luxury government buses across Karnataka. Siddaramaiah emphasized that women in Karnataka have availed 155 crore rides under this scheme.
(With PTI inputs)
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