Will not allow BJP to strengthen its presence - Deve Gowda

Ramanagara, 29 Oct 2018 [Fik/News Sources]: "I am stubborn and hence work to achieve my goals with determination. I wish to die peacefully. To achieve that motto, I will make sure that BJP does not grow in strength," said former Prime Minister, H D Deve Gowda.

Gowda, who was conducting a road show, seeking votes for coalition candidate, Anita Ramaswamy, from the local assembly constituency on Sunday October 28, repeatedly fired salvos at BJP. "The aim of BJP is to build Hindu nation. To serve the minorities who are living in the country, we are duty-bound to stop the advances of BJP at any cost. We have 45 crore Muslims and 25 crore Christians in India. Efforts are being made to drive away people who have been living in the country since many years. Where can they go? Where should they be sent? Does the BJP want steams of blood to flow? We have to protect these people," he asserted.

Deve Gowda noted that in the previous assembly election, although JD(S) secured 37 seats as against 78 won by the Congress, Kumaraswamy became the chief minister as the top leadership of Congress wanted him to lead Karnataka. He said that 29 parties in India wanted Kumaraswamy as Karnataka chief minister. "The participation of these parties in the swearing-in ceremony bears testimony to what they wanted. We are not involved in individual fights now. Even I became Prime Minister with the support of Congress party," he recalled.

Gowda said that he became chief minister and Prime Minister as per the wishes of the divine. He recalled that he too had fought from this constituency earlier, and that this constituency has supported Kumaraswamy to the hilt, adding that Anita Kumaraswamy's candidature here is only symbolic, claiming that for Kumaraswamy, Channapattna and Ramanagara are like his two eyes. He predicted that the entire district will achieve development in leaps and bounds if JD(S) candidate is elected.