From Our Special Correspondent

Daijiworld Media Network

Bengaluru, Mar 19: Agreeing to allow JDS supremo and former prime minister H D Deve Gowda’s son-in-law Dr C N Manjunath to contest on the BJP ticket and symbol “is the first suicidal step by JDS,” said Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar on Tuesday.

Speaking to media persons near his residence, Shivakumar, who is also the KPCC president, said state JDS chief and former chief minister H D Kumaraswamy’s statement that its alliance partner BJP is “ignoring JDS and not taking the party into confidence’’ and the remark wondering whether JDS had to join BJP-led NDA to get “just 2 seats” out of the 28 was along "expected lines."

"I had anticipated such a statement from JDS leaders when the party entered into a deal for Lok Sabha polls with BJP," Shivakumar said.

The KPCC chief said, "JDS has been sidelined after aligning with BJP."

"I don’t want to comment on the internal affairs of JDS," he said, pointing out that JDS has its own strength and has MPs and MLAs in some constituencies.

"BJP is interested in reaping the advantage of JDS in certain pockets and is ignoring the alliance partner in the rest of the State. This is the practice of BJP and it has been ignoring its alliance partners in other States as well. It is left to such parties to sort out things. I have nothing to say about such things," he asserted.

Won’t reveal strategy on DVS

When asked about the allegation that the Congress party is resorting to "operation to invite BJP leader D V Sadananda Gowda into its fold," Shivakumar said: "It is quite common when leaders denied party tickets by their own parties join other parties and contest on that party’s name and symbol. These things happen in politics."

He pointed out that former BJP leader Ayanur Manjunath had contested on the JDS ticket after being denied the party ticket and similarly BJP MLA M P Kumaraswamy had contested on the JDS ticket when he was denied the party ticket.

"Our own former MLA Akhanda Srinivasa Murthy had contested on the JDS ticket when he was not given the Congress ticket. Likewise, senior BJP leaders Jagadish Shettar and Lakshman Savadi were fielded by the Congress party when they joined from BJP," he said, adding: "No party is an exception to this practice. If people want to join the Congress party and are ready to accept the party’s ideology, we will admit them."

To a pointed question on whether the doors of the Congress party are open to former BJP chief minister and union minister Sadanananda Gowda, he quipped: "I don’t want to reveal our strategy. Wait for developments."