HD Deve Gowda, Siddaramaiah sing same tune after nudge from Rahul Gandhi

BENGALURU: In a message as much for their own party workers as for voters, former Prime Minister and JD(S) patriarch HD Deve Gowda and Congress Legislature Party leader Siddaramaiah came together to campaign for Congress-JD(S) candidate Krishna Byregowda in Bengaluru North constituency, on Friday.


This was the first time that Gowda and Siddaramaiah appeared for a joint campaign for the Lok Sabaha polls, and it came against a backdrop of apparent discontentment among the alliance partners. They shared a platform on March 31 when Congress president Rahul Gandhi led a joint rally of the Congress and JD(S) in Bengaluru.

Rahul is believed to have asked Siddaramaiah to ensure that the coalition hiccups are removed, after reports that the JD(S) candidate in Mandya is facing stiff resistance from Congress workers.

“There are small hiccups as the workers of Congress and JD(S) are confused about the alliance in certain places. Deve Gowda and I will conduct a joint tour, we will go to Mysuru on April 9. This will automatically solve the problem,” Siddaramaiah said.

While Siddaramaiah led the campaign for Byregowda from the morning, Gowda joined him at an evening rally at HMT Grounds in Hebbal. The former PM focused on his and Siddaramaiah’s contribution to Bengaluru and targeted Prime Minister Narendra Modi for ignoring the city.

“I was the one who laid a strong foundation to make Bengaluru the IT hub,” Gowda said. “Siddaramaiah who is here with me was my colleague then. How many times has Modi visited Bengaluru? What is his contribution to the city?”

Lashing out at former chief minister SM Krishna, Gowda said the BJP leader did nothing for Bengaluru.

He called upon voters not to allow the BJP to touch double digits in Karnataka.

Earlier in the day, all MLAs from both Congress and JD(S) from Bengaluru North, took part in poll meetings at KR Puram, Malleswaram and Pulakeshinagar.

Attacking Union minister DV Sadananda Gowda, who is seeking re-election from the constituency, Siddaramaiah said the BJP candidate was incompetent. “Sadananda Gowda lost the railways portfolio thanks to his inefficiency. Modi would have not changed his portfolio if he was competent,” Siddaramaiah said. “He only smiles when he is asked why he was removed as minister. He always smiles at the cost of his constituents.”