Bangalore: New Congress Chief Deshpande Favours Tie-up With JD(S)
Daijiworld Media Network - Bangalore (SP)
Bangalore, Sep 27: The newly appointed president of Karntaka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) R V Deshpande said here on Friday September 26, that he has an open mind as regards entering into an understanding with the JDS during the ensuing elections was concerned. He however, said he would consult the high command before proceeding on this issue.
"For defeating the BJP, secular forces will have to unite. Hence, I feel joining hands with the JD(S) might become necessary. Creation of the post of the working president will not in way interfere with my functioning. Working president D K Shivkumar is a good friend of mine. We will build the party with mutual co-operation," Deshpande said.
"The rumours that Siddaraiamah is disgruntled over my appointment, are far from true. We will hold discussions with him on important topics and ensure that he plays a significant role in party building. He has informed the media that he had suggested my name for the post of the KPCC president. Hence, these rumours are baseless," he reasoned.
"There are no differences of opinion among the stae leaders. If there are any petty differences, we will solve them through dialogues. My first aim will be to ensure that our party wins most of the seats in the assembly bypolls and teach a fitting lesson to the BJP," he added.
Deshpande opined, that 'Operation Kamala' undertaken by the BJP was an insult to the constitution and has been a blot on the history of the state. He also pooh-poohed the tall claims of the BJP about its 100-day rule.
In the meanwhile, Mallikarjun Kharge said that the creation of the post of the working president does not mean that Deshpande is a weak candidate. "The post has been created in the interests of the party. Personally, I never expressed any opinion on the creation of this post with the high command," he asserted.
KPCC working president D K Shivkumar informed, that the party would not retaliate to the BJP's operation in which the Congress lost some of its legislators, through it's own 'Operation Hand' as claimed earlier by some leaders. "We will bring back the leaders who deserted us. The 'Operation Kamala' will boomerang on the BJP," he predicted.