Date:12/02/2006 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2006/02/12/stories/2006021205030300.htm

Karnataka - Bidar

`Coalition government will not last long'

Staff Correspondent

Deve Gowda betrayed Dharam Singh: Praveen Dawar

`Be ready for Assembly polls in two or three months'

`Coalition partners have had zero tolerance for each other for decades'

Bidar: All-India Congress Committee general secretary Praveen Dawar has asked party workers to be prepared for Assembly election in two or three months.

Addressing a party workers' meeting in Humnabad on Saturday, he said the Janata Dal (Secular)-Bharatiya Janata Party Government will not last long. The parties in the coalition have had "zero tolerance" for each other for decades. They have gained success only by finding fault with each other. How can they get together to run a government? This "marriage of convenience" will not last even 100 days, he said.

Captain Dawar accused Janata Dal (Secular) leader H.D. Deve Gowda of betraying the former Chief Minister N. Dharam Singh.

Mr. Gowda has compromised secularism for power.

People will remember this and give his party candidates a befitting reply in the coming elections, he said.