Cong-JDS triumph in by-poll will change equation in national politics: Deve Gowda

Ballary, 30 Oct 2018 [Fik/News Sources]: Former prime minister and JDS supremo H.D. Deve Gowda predicted that the triumph of the Congress-JDS combine in the by-election would change the equation in the national politics.

Addressing an electioneering in favour of Congress candidate V.S. Ugrappa at Kudligi Assembly constituency on Monday, Deve Gowda said that “let us keep our ego and differences aside and face the election together to send a strong message to the entire country. If we won all the five constituencies, then the scenario of the national politics would change”, he opined.

“V.S. Ugrappa is a born fighter. Congress-JDS workers have to elect him with a huge margin of votes in Ballary Lok Sabha constituency. There were differences among us. It was true. But I know how to utilize the time fruitfully. We should defeat the BJP for the future of the country. You might think that how Deve Gowda and Siddaramaiah, despite fighting each other, came together. But here we do not have selfishness”, he said.

Former chief minister Siddaramaiah said that “Janardhana Reddy alleged that I have involved in illegal mining. If he has guts, let him prove his allegation against me. Why did Sriramulu go to the house of a Judge at Hyderabad when Janardhana Reddy was in jail in the illegal mining case? Janardhana Reddy has challenged me to come to open debate on illegal mining. I would accept his challenge. Let him fix the time and place for the open debate. Janardhana Reddy could not come to Ballary. I don’t know whether he has permission to come to Bengaluru or not”, he said.

The Congress has made alliance with the JDS to protect the democracy in the country. Siddaramaiah-led government was a pro-people government. Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s was not ‘sab ka sath, sab ka vikas nahi’. It’s ‘sab ka sath, Mallya ka vikas’, ‘sab ka sath, Ambani ka vikas’, Congress leader in Lok Sabha Mallikarjuna Kharge alleged.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi was a liar. While saying bhaiyo, aur behno outside the Parliament, he has been cheating the people. In the last four and half years administration, he has not implemented even a single pro-people programmes. He is not answering any questions of the opposition parties in the Parliament. When Rahul Gandhi asked about Rafale deal, he has not given any answer so far. So, the Congress has chosen the path of protest against Rafale deal, Kharge said.

The Narendra Modi government has failed on all fronts. The very purpose of demonetisation was failed. Even the GST was also failed due to lack of prior preparation. In total, they have failed on all fronts, he alleged.

Congress candidate V.S. Ugrappa, Minister D.K. Shivakumar, Former Minister Satish Jarakiholi, Rajya Sabha Member B.K. Hariprasad, MLC CM Ibrahim and others were present.