From Our Special Correspondent

Daijiworld Media Network

Bengaluru, Apr 2: The opposition parties with their I.N.D.I.A bloc will strive its best to oust NDA and Narendra Modi regime from power, said KPCC chief and Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar in Bengaluru on Tuesday.

Addressing the first-ever joint media conference of the I.N.D.I.A leaders, who met at the KPCC office, Shivakumar said it was significant that the non-NDA parties came together to form the alliance in Bengaluru and the first meeting of the State leaders of I.N.D.I.A combine parties is being held on Tuesday.

“Change is inevitable in the country and in the State just as victory and defeat is part of the democratic process,’’ he said pointing out that the strengths of the I.N.D.I.A parties in Karnataka was not important as unity among the leaders and their rank and file is more crucial.

Shivakumar pointed out that Congress party had faced the 2019 Lok Sabha polls in the State in alliance with JD(S) and its supremo had contested from Tumakuru to lose by a margin of 12,000 votes. The CPI, which is now part of I.N.D.I.A combine, had secured 17,000 votes. “So if we were together in 2019, the outcome would have been different,’’ he said.

Leaders of the 10 non-NDA parties formed the I.N.D.I.A combine to ensure that the non-NDA and anti-BJP votes are not divided. “Our sole purpose is to oust NDA and Modi from power. There is no question big or small party or stronger and weaker parties. It is said one man with courage is a majority and it is very much true in democracy. We have come together to save the country and protect democracy,” he declared.

Shivakumar said: “Every vote in important. In politics 49 is considered Zero and 51 is equal to 100. Congress leader Dhruvanarayana had lost by a single vote while Dinesh Gundu Rao had won by a narrow margin. Sowmya Reddy lost from Jayanagara assembly constituency by 16 votes. So we consider every vote as important and it will make or mar victory.’’

The KPCC chief predicted that Congress is going to win over 20 out of the 28 seats in the State as per the internal surveys conducted by the party. He appealed to the leaders and workers of all parties in I.N.D.I.A to extend their support and work for the success of the Congress candidates.

Shivakumar thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for remembering his brother and Congress candidate from Bengaluru Rural D K Suresh while addressing a rally in Uttarakhand and corrected Modi by stating that his brother had not spoken about separating from the country.

”All that he said was that the tax injustice to Karnataka may force the people to think of separating. The Centre should ensure that injustice to Karnataka from the Centre must end and there should be equitable distribution of funds,’’ he said.

AAP leaders Mukhyamantri Chandru, Prithvi Reddy, CPM leader Basavaraju, NCP leader C S Inamdar, CPI-ML leader Clifton D Rozario, RJD leader Yakub Gulvadi, Forward Block leader Shivashankar were among the leaders to attend the I.N.D.I.A meeting.

JD(S) leaders Bacche Gowda, Anjanappa join Congress

Earlier, prominent JD(S) leaders from Chikkaballapur K P Bacche Gowda and Putta Anjanappa from Shidlagatta joined the Congress in the presence of KPCC chief and other leaders.

Shivakumar assured the newcomers that the party will treat all the new entrants with dignity and respect and made it clear that the Congress believes in equal opportunity for all without any distinction of newcomers and original partymen.

He said the opposition BJP which swept the 2019 Lok Sabha polls by winning 26 out of the 28 seats including independent Sumalatha Ambraish backed by it. But this time, the BJP knows there is a strong anti-incumbency sentiment against its sitting MPs and has changed candidates in 12 seats.

Further, JD(S) has aligned with BJP for Lok Sabha polls despite the operation Kamala to pull down H D Kumaraswamy-led government. However, the BJP-JD(S) alliance will flop and Congress will win more than 20 seats, he predicted.

The KPCC chief claimed that the party will win both Kolar and Chikkaballapur. He also indicated that former JDS leader C M Ibrahim’s son has shown interest in joining the Congress party. Several other leaders from the JD(S) and the BJP are joining, he said.