HD Deve Gowda, the former Prime Minister has backed the Congress chief Rahul Gandhi to be the prime ministerial candidate of a mahagathbandhan (a grand alliance of opposition parties).
Deve Gowda, who leads the Janata Dal (Secular) stated that “I am with Congress in an alliance here in Karnataka. Mine is a very small party. I have no problem with Rahul Gandhi being projected as the prime minister[ial] candidate.”
After DMK chief MK Stalin’s endorsement for Rahul Gandhi, this has been second such support before the general elections.
While speaking on the coalition, Deve Gowda said that the government in Karnataka wasn’t working to his expectations.
He said “There should be better coordination between the two parties,” Congress-JD(S) should rectify the mistakes. The coalition government isn’t working to my expectation.”
In a response to his critics for targeting him for ignoring minorities and the Dalit community in the cabinet, Deve Gowda said “I have worked for minorities always; no one can question my commitment to them,” the former prime minister said.