Date:30/09/2004 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2004/09/30/stories/2004093008200400.htm

Karnataka

`JD(S) contesting bypoll to spread ideology'

By Our Staff Correspondent

BIDAR, SEPT. 29. H.D. Deve Gowda, former Prime Minister and Janata Dal (S) president, today said it was a clash of ideologies in the Bidar Lok Sabha byelection, not a fight between personalities. Addressing party workers in Humnabad on Wednesday, he said the need to preserve and spread the ideology of the Janata Dal (S) was the only reason why the party decided to field a candidate in Bidar. "I am no longer interested in power, I am neither interested in curbing the growth of other political parties. My only aim in life is to protect the interest of farmers. I will fight to pull them out from the desperate situation they are in. This will remain my motto till death. I have realised that this can be achieved only by implementing the Janata Dal (S) ideology," he said.

Mr. Deve Gowda reiterated his promise not to criticise any Congress leader either at the Centre or in the State.Congress leader Tatya Rao Kamble, Janata Party leader B.T. Lalitha Naik, BJP district unit general secretary Pandurang Suryavanshi and some other leaders joined the Janata Dal (S) on the occasion.

Pamphlet released

Through a pamphlet released by Mr. Deve Gowda in Humnabad on Wednesday, the Janata Dal (S) leadership indirectly expresses its wish to rule the State as a single party and not as part of a coalition. It says that the Common Minimum Programme (CMP) includes only some portions of the manifesto of the Janata Dal (S).