Karnataka Assembly Elections 2018: People want JD(S) back, says Deve Gowda

In the midst of a triangular fight with the BJP and the Congress in the Karnataka State Assembly elections, former PM and leader of the Janata Dal (Secular) Deve Gowda says that while the fight is not easy, the masses want to see his son, HD Kumaraswamy at the helm. Edited excerpts:

This year, a tough triangular fight is playing out between the Janata Dal (Secular), the BJP and the Congress. What are your party's challenges?

Janata Dal (Secular) is a regional party; resources is an issue as both the national parties have tons of it. The maladministration of the present government, too, is an issue. The election machinery will not be allowed to carry out free and fair elections. In the last three months, the present CM has transferred election officers, district return officers, even though some of them were in office for a few months.

The BJP, on the other hand, had no stability and changed three CMs in five years; don't want to discuss this further. The made my son suffer when he came to power with the BJP, accusing him of making over Rs 150 crores in mining mafia, as he had taken a tough stand to eliminate the Bellary mining mafia. Modi's graph, on the other hand, is going down. Kumaraswamy is the star campaigner of JD(S). In any corner of the state, if you ask a daily-wager, a tonga-wallah, rickshaw-wallah, they will say that they are voting for Kumar Anna. Money, I doubt, will play a role. People want their Kumar Anna back.

People are saying that the JD(S) will help the BJP when the need arises. What do you have to say to that?

We are fighting with two national parties, and I have no reservation with either of the two. Both party have caused major damages to Karnataka. In the last 20 years, Karnataka has suffered badly because of these parties in the Centre. In the state, Siddaramaiah damaged the Public Service Commission, the Bangalore Development Authority, and, allowed the mining and land mafia to grow. Let me be very plain: This time there's no mercy for BJP or Congress. I attack rivals with certain restrictions, I cannot use the words that Siddaramaiah uses, or what Amit Shah uses. Why should I attack personally? I am a former PM, I need to keep the decency.

You have said that you will not contest the Lok Sabha elections in 2019. Why?

I may not contest, but I need to help my party bring up a secular team, whether it is a third front or people's front. So, my party will cooperate.

Are you saying that the JD (S) will be part of a Third Front, if needed. You headed an unlikely coalition in the Centre to emerge as the PM.

Let me be very frank: I have no ambition. What services I made to my country during the 10 months and 14 days (when I was the PM), were remarkable achievements, but the media never co-operated. I might not have the same enthusiasm. But the people of my constituency want me to fight again. In 2019, I will be 86 and by the term ends, I will be 91. I am not power-hungry. Also, I don't know how my party will fare in 2019.

The BJP hasn't brought in Modi as yet, do you think his entry will change the elections?

It is not so easy here. BJP's government in Karnataka was the first in South India. Some people are still committed to the BJP; we need to work hard to eliminate them. Congress is a mass organisation, JD(S) is, too, not a cadre-based organisation.

Do you think CM Siddaramaiah's move to name Lingayats as a separate religion was a brainwave?

It is going to kick back, it will not help him, he has taken a foolish step he took think it may help him it will bring the entire Lingayat community together against the Congress.