The Hindu : National : We will not destabilise Karnataka Government, says Deve Gowda

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Saturday, Jul 16, 2005

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We will not destabilise Karnataka Government, says Deve Gowda

Special Correspondent

But JD (S) members are being "humiliated"

NEW DELHI: Janata Dal (Secular) president H.D. Deve Gowda on Friday rejected suggestions that he was trying to destabilise the Congress-Janata Dal (Secular) coalition in Karnataka and said he was committed to protecting secular values and keeping the BJP away from power there.

"We will not do anything to destabilise the Government under Dharam Singh. There is a malicious campaign that the JD (S) may tie up with the Bharatiya Janata Party. I reject such suggestions and such a campaign against me after my having fought fundamental forces all my life," Mr. Gowda told The Hindu here.

The JD (S) wanted the present arrangement to continue even though members of his party were being "constantly humiliated." This was mainly because it wanted to protect secularism, he said.

Refuting reports suggesting that he did not do enough to promote Deputy Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, Mr. Gowda said that during negotiations with the Congress leadership, he had insisted that Mr. Siddaramaiah be made Chief Minister, on the Jammu and Kashmir model (of power sharing).

"I had six rounds of meeting with Congress president Sonia Gandhi before the formation of the coalition. I agreed to have a Congress Chief Minister only at the last meeting. At all the previous five meetings, I insisted that Mr. Siddaramaiah be made Chief Minister. I agreed after Ms. Gandhi pleaded that the situation was different in Jammu and Kashmir and also to check the BJP from growing further."

The option then was either to form a coalition or put the State under President's rule.

Whisper campaign

The JD (S) MLAs, Mr. Gowda said, were not allowed a say even in the appointment of an officer while the Government was acceding to the demands of Congressmen, whose were defeated by these MLAs.

Yet a `whispering campaign' was on against him in the corridors of power in New Delhi that JD (S) was calling the shots and that the Chief Minister did not have his way.

During the past few months, attempts had been made to split the JD (S), Mr. Gowda said.

In the Legislative Council byelection too, there were reports that the Congress central leadership rejected the candidate, proposed by the Chief Minister and endorsed by the JD (S), and instead nominated another person.

Not in touch with Mulayam

Mr. Gowda discounted reports that he had been in touch with Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav and was working against the State Government or for an alternative front. "I have not spoken to Mr. Mulayam Singh Yadav ever since he became Chief Minister."

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