Daijiworld Media Network - (NR)
 
Bangalore, Jan 6: In an obvious damage control measure, former prime minister and JDS surpemo H D Deve Gowda on Saturday, Jan 5 vowed to consolidate and strengthen his party with the active support of all those who have  remained in it.

This seems to be a knee jerk reaction on his part to the actions of some of his party men who have been deserting the party and joining the Congress and BJP.
 
His comments also come against the backdrop of rebel JDS leader M P Prakash, who deserted the party and is thinking of joining either BJP or Congress. If one may recollect, earlier on M P Prakash had alleged that there was no internal democracy within the party.

When fingers were raised and accusations made that JDS party is fast becoming a bastion of "father and sons", he promised to change the party's face and its internal workings and even assured that there would be no dictatorship.

Speaking with media persons here, Gowda informed that he would launch the party's poll campaign from January 18 and tour Bidar, Gulbarga, Raichur, Koppal, Bellary, Davanagere and Chitradurga till January 25.

In the second phase he will visit Uttara Kannada, Udupi, Mangalore, Kodagu, Chikmagalur and Shimoga and complete the tour of the state by February 15. The party's national executive will be held on February 10 in the city, he added.

The star campaigner for JDS will be Gowda's son and former CM, H D Kumaraswamy, who is presently recovering from an open heart surgery. He is scheduled to join the electioneering trail by February. BJP and Congress are already in the campaign fray. In view of the above scenario this definitely seems to be an election to watch out for.