Bengaluru: Former Prime Minister and JD(S) patriarch, Deve Gowda on Friday offered to “cooperate” in the formation of a People's Front by Telangana Chief Minister, K Chandrashekhar Rao in the run up to the 2019 Lok Sabha poll.
Speaking to reporters here, Mr Gowda said Mr Rao had introduced many pro-people policies since assuming power and was now coming out with a People's Movement. “We have seen the way the UPA and NDA governments, have performed with most of their promises unfulfilled. And so I have assured to cooperate with Mr Rao's initiative,'' he added.
The move could help the JD(S)’s chances in the state as in response to his offer, Mr Rao appealed to all Telugu speaking people in Karnataka to support the party during the coming Assembly polls and announced he would campaign for it, especially in Hyderabad Karnataka and other Telugu dominated regions.
Defending the decision to form the People’s Front, Mr Rao said it was a movement for the people, setting the agenda for 2019.
“Whoever is interested in working for the people, including the TMC and Communist party may join it. This will be a movement for the poor , farmers and women.” Claiming that over the last seven decades, most programmes of both the Congress and BJP-ruled governments at the Centre remained unfulfilled, he wondered why Karnataka and Tamil Nadu continued to fight for Cauvery water when the Central Water Commission has said the country had 70000 tmc ft of water and after meeting all its needs would still have a surplus of about 30,000 tmc ft. “Still, the two parties make people fight on the streets, while they enjoy Delhi seats. We need to come out of this national party trap to save this country,'' he asserted.
Mr Kumaraswamy admitted that support from Mr Rao would boost the party’s prospectus at least 25 to 30 constituencies, especially where the JD(S) was in a close fight.
He announced that former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister, Mayawati would campaign for the JD(S) on April 24 and 25.
