News: Front Page | National | Southern States | Other States | International | Opinion | Business | Sport | Miscellaneous |
Advts: Classifieds | Employment | Obituary |

By Our Special Correspondent

BANGALORE FEB. 7. The JD(S) and the JD(U), which have been complaining against the "vituperative" language used by the Congress spokesman, said on Thursday that it was quite apparent that it was the Chief Minister, S.M. Krishna, who was speaking through the spokesman.

Addressing presspersons here, the Secretary General of the JD(S) and party spokesman, C. Narayanaswamy, and the Secretary General of the JD(U) and party spokesman, Basavaraja Rayaraddi, alleged that the Congress spokesman, V.S. Ugrappa, who was earlier a Deve Gowda loyalist, was indulging in the diatribe following directions from the Chief Minister.

It was a "game plan" of the Chief Minister to maintain his image while attacking his political rivals using foul language, they alleged.

Mr. Narayanaswamy said that it was not too late for the Chief Minister to restrain his party spokesman from indulging in "unethical and improper" outbursts.

"If the Chief Minister has the courage, he should openly speak out against Mr. Deve Gowda. As a top leader of the Congress, Mr. Krishna had the responsibility of ensuring that his party conformed to election guidelines.

"If he failed to respond to the complaint, it would be obvious that the Chief Minister was of the same calibre as his party spokesman,'' Mr. Narayanaswamy added.

It was unfortunate , he said, that the BJP leaders, including the Union Minister, V. Dhananjay Kumar, and B.S. Yediyurappa, were stooping low to launch personal attacks against the former Prime Minister.

The BJP and Congress leaders should speak on the policies and programmes of their respective parties in comparison with those of their rivals, he added.

Referring to the charges levelled against Mr. Deve Gowda by the Huliyurdurga MLA, Y.K. Ramaiah, particularly on matters related to irrigation, Mr. Narayanaswamy said the people of the State were aware of the acceleration given by Mr. Gowda to a large number of irrigation projects in the Cauvery and Krishna basins.

Mr. Gowda made a special allocation in the Union Budget for providing special assistance to States to complete long-pending irrigation projects, he added.

On Mr. Ramaiah's statement that many Vokkaliga voters in the Kanakapura constituency would support the Congress candidate to strengthen the position of Mr. Krishna who was from the community, the JD(S) spokesman said: "It is a clear case of violation of the election rules and attempt to seek votes based on caste. It is a corrupt practice and a violation of the model code of conduct."

Regarding Mr. Ramaiah's statement that JD(U) leaders such as P.G.R. Sindhia, C. Byre Gowda, and B. Somashekar were not campaigning for Mr. Deve Gowda with sincerity, due to certain misgivings, Mr. Narayanaswamy said such statements were aimed at creating rancour between the JD(S) and the JD(U).

The joint campaign by the parties had upset the Congress's calculations, he added.

Mr . Rayaraddi said it was wrong to say that the JD(U) remained in the National Democratic Alliance at the Centre and aligned with the JD(S) in the State only to further its own interests.

"The JD (U) has always categorically stated that it is against the BJP in the State. It is part of the NDA only to extend support to the leadership of the Prime Minister," he added.

Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Southern States