The Hindu : Karnataka News : Deve Gowda lauds Sonia Gandhi's efforts

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Jun 29, 2004

Karnataka

Karnataka

Deve Gowda lauds Sonia Gandhi's efforts

By Our Staff Correspondent

HASSAN, JUNE 28. Welcoming the decision of Sonia Gandhi, Congress President and Chairperson of the United Progressive Alliance (UPA), to involve professionals, technocrats, and economists in formulating policies, the Janata Dal (Secular) President and former Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda said on Monday that Ms. Gandhi was making efforts to implement the Common Minimum Programme (CMP) effectively and the Union Budget would reflect the priorities of UPA Government.

Addressing presspersons here on his way to Sringeri, Mr. Deve Gowda, who is also Hassan MP, hoped that the UPA Government would give priority to the agricultural sector as had been announced and the country could see some changes in the coming days. It was difficult to expect significant changes from any Government in a short period and policy-makers would take decisions keeping in mind various factors and the overall economic situation.

Though the Janata Dal (S) was supporting the Government, it was not part of the UPA. However, as the party head he reserved the right to judge the performance of the Government objectively. Nevertheless, he did not want to jump to conclusions right away, he said. On the formation of the common minimum programme at the State level, Mr. Gowda said the Chief Minister, N. Dharam Singh, the Deputy Chief Minister, Siddaramaiah, and other leaders would take a decision in this regard. "We have to work out a CMP that can be implemented. Empty promises will not serve the purpose," he said. The Janata Dal (S) and Congress had their own manifestos. The coalition should look at the economic situation and the availability of resources before formulating the CMP, he said. To a question, he said in view of the fractured verdict of the electorate it would not be possible to implement all the promises made in the manifesto. However, the coalition Government would do its best to implement the promises. "We cannot go beyond a point, and the people will also understand our limits," he said.

Defending the formation of the coalition, the former Prime Minister reiterated that political compulsions had forced the Janata Dal (S) to join its hands with the Congress, as the primary concern of the secular forces was to keep the BJP at bay.

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