From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network - Bangalore
Bangalore, Apr 3: A day after his searing personal attack with "poison" barb aimed at former Prime Minister and JD(S) supremo H D Deve Gowda, Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee Chief Dr G Parameshwara on Thursday expressed regrets over his remarks.
''I did not mean that. I just made that statement very casually as a joke. I did not mean that he (Gowda) should take poison and die," Dr Parameshwara told reporters after releasing Kannada version of the party’s manifesto.
"He (Gowda) is a very senior politician in the country and a former Prime Minister. In fact, he is the first Prime Minister from the South. I wish him more number of years. Let him live a happy and healthy life," he said.
"We do need him in politics. If I have hurt his feelings in any way, I express my regrets. I did not mean anything,” the KPCC chief said and made it categorically clear that,''I did not mean that he should die. I pray to give him more than hundred years.”
Dr Parameshwara said Gowda is an authority on the inter-state Cauvery issue and his leadership was necessary for Karnataka.
Deve Gowda is Tallest Leader
''These kinds of things do happen in politics. Sometimes, we make some comments thoughtlessly and realize the enormity only after they get unusual media coverage,” he said pointing out that hundreds of public meetings he addressed and the points raised by him were ignored.
Dr Parameshwara had yesterday taunted the JD(S) supremo over his alleged remark in the past that he would consume poison if his party did not win Assembly elections.
''I just reminded him (Gowda) over the remark made by him in the past and pointed out that JD(S) fared poorly in the assembly polls,” he explained.
''Just nine months back, the senior Gowda had said that JD(S) will come to power in Karnataka on our own. He had said that if we don’t come to power on our own, I will consume poison and die,” Dr Parameshwara said and he recalled those comments and made a passing observation that, ''I am also waiting for that occasion as to whether he will take it today or tomorrow. He is not taking it.”
"This was a kind of small aberration; I don’t think one should take this kind of thing so seriously," the KPCC Chief said. "Otherwise any politician if he makes a statement, if one takes it so seriously,I think then there is no politics," he mentioned.
Jaffer Sharief will remain in Congress
Dr Parameshwara reiterated that veteran leader C K Jaffer Sharief was still with the Congress and all reports in the media about his inclination towards the JD(S) and his resignation from the Congress are just speculations.
''I as the party president in Karnataka have not got any information in this regard from him (Jaffer Sharief),” he said.
Asked whether Sharief will share the dais with AICC Vice President Rahul Gandhi during his rally in Bangalore Central on April 7, Parameshwara said:''As of now he is with us. If there is any change both myself and Sharief will let you know.”
Sonia, Rahul Visiting State
The KPCC is bracing up for hectic campaigning in the next two weeks with AICC President Sonia Gandhi campaigning in the State on April 8, Vice-President Rahul Gandhi will be campaigning in Bellary and Mangalore on Friday and will again visit the State on April 7.
Giving details of the campaign, Dr Parameshwara Ms Sonia Gandhi will address mammoth rallies in Kolar and Dharwad on April 8. She will land in Kolar and then visit Dharwad after which she will go to Goa, he said.
Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi will hold over half a dozen public rallies in constituencies across Kerala, Karnataka and Maharashtra Friday and Saturday.
On Friday morning, Rahul Gandhi will hold a rally in Bellary and Daksina Kannada in Karnataka and Yavatmal—Washim constituency of Maharashtra.
Rahul Gandhi will be heading to Kerala Saturday and will address four rallies, first at Kasaragod followed by Idukki, Chengannur and Attingal.
Kerala will vote April 10 and Karnataka April 17. In Maharashtra, election will be held in three phases — April 10, 17 and 24.
Venakaiah Naidu Attacks UPA for Ruining Economy
Meanwhile, senior BJP leader Venkaiah Naidu at a separate news conference attacked the Congress-led UPA government at the Centre for betraying the people of the country on the promises made to them and challenged the Congress to take part in a debate with the BJP on the promises and the actual performance.
''If the Congress has courage, let it participate in such a debate on its promises and performance. The BJP is ready for a debate on the promises made by it to the country and the performances by the A B Vajpayee government as well as the State governments being run by the party,” he said.
He accused the Congress of shying away from such a debate by adopting a hit-and-run policy.
Ridiculing Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Finance Minister P Chidambaram and Planning Commission Deputy Chairperson Montek Singh Ahluwalia, he said, these three economists who are free (they are not contesting elections) can join the debate.