BENGALURU: Home Minister Dr G Parameshwara on Monday hit out at the JD(S), which has announced an alliance with the BJP for next year’s Lok Sabha election, saying, “Outsiders cheat during elections and our people also do that. I have experienced it myself”.
Speaking at the Circuit House in Sadashivnagar, he said, “I did not take H D Deve Gowda to Tumakuru. He asked for five seats and Congress leaders had given them to him. He himself chose Tumakuru to contest the last time and I worked hard for his win. If I haven’t, let them say it and let then declare that they didn’t choose Tumakuru. We would have been very happy if they won, but unfortunately, they didn’t. What was wrong with taking them? I was the election in-charge for Congress. Some cheat us by staying with us during elections and some come from outside. I myself have had that experience. The JD(S) is the official ‘B’ team of the BJP”, he added.
On the issue of the BJP-JD(S) alliance, he said the saffron party did not have an alliance with anyone last time. “Deve Gowda won the last time. Now they are forming an alliance and that means they have become weak. They are trying to threaten Congress by forming an alliance. This shows that they themselves are admitting that Congress is strong. The Congress has seen this for the past 138 years and no matter who comes to power, they cannot stop Congress or finish it off”, said Parameshwara.
On party MLC B K Hariprasad’s recent outburst, the Home Minister said that it was his personal opinion. “I have nothing to comment about he. He spoke about me, congratulations to him. Everything will be discussed at the senior level. The party high command has also taken note of his statements”, he added.