Congress and JDS Facing Existential Crisis in Karnataka, Says BJP's Sadananda Gowda Ahead of Bypolls

Bengaluru: Union Minister DV Sadananda Gowda on Saturday claimed that the Congress and JD(S) were facing an existential crisis and trying to come together against the BJP ahead of the December 5 bypolls in Karnataka.

Speaking to reporters here, he said Siddaramaiah and HD Kumaraswamy were taking a final leap towards destroying their parties, the Congress and JD (S).

Expressing confidence about the BJP winning all the 15 assembly segments going to the bypolls, the former chief minister requested the election commission to declare KR Pete and Hoskote assembly constituencies as "sensitive."

"The bypoll campaign is in full swing and political developments are taking a new turn. The parties that are in fear of existential crisis,leaving aside morality and ideology are trying to come together to save themselves, Gowda said.

JD(S) Kumaraswamy and Deve Gowda were until recently saying the BJP was better than Congress... and Congress Siddaramaiah too has said there was no chance of his party joining hands with the JD(S) again, but their conduct in the last two-three days is reflecting otherwise," he said.

Gowda was referring to the Congress and JD(S) leaders claims that the main objective of both the parties was to defeat disqualified legislators, whom BJP has fielded as its candidates in 13 of 15 assembly seats going to the bypolls.

The former chief minister said "on one side Siddaramaiah and on the other Kumaraswamy, both of them were successfully taking a final leap towards destroying their own parties, I wish them success."

He claimed that the JD(S) orgainstion has collapsed and was limited to one family, while in the Congress where everyone had to work collectively, Siddaramaiah was left on his own as several senior party leaders were upset with his style of functioning as congress legislature party leader.

Among the 15 segments going to bypolls, 12 were held by the Congress and 3 by the JD(S), whose coalition government collapsed due to rebellion by the disqualified MLAs. Gowda alleged that attempts were being made to create "confusion" in some places like KR Pete, Hoskote and also at constituencies in Belagavi.

"I appeal to the election commission-there are plans by opposition parties to create trouble during election process at several places and necessary action should be taken to hold it in a disciplined way.

I urge them (EC) to declare K R Pete and Hoskote as sensitive assembly constituencies and make special arrangements there, he said.

To a question about BJP taking the JD(S) support in case the party falls short of numbers or will there be more opposition MLAs joining the party, Gowda said such a situation may not arise at all and expressed confidence that his party will gain majority on its own.

"If someone comes to the party accepting its ideology and principles, we will accept, he maintained.

The ruling BJP needs to win at least six seats in the bypolls to remain in a majority in the 224-member assembly, which will still have two vacant seats-- Maski and RR Nagar. Gowda pointed out that in Maharashtra, NCP legislators have come forward to join hands with the BJP for "good administration."

"JD(S) patriarch Deve Gowda and Siddaramaiah should at least wake up now as there is general liking towards the BJP across the country and people are favouring the partys government for good administration and welfare of the country," the union minister said.

If the BJP had contested on its own in the Maharashtra election, it could have gained two-third majority, but it went with Shiv Sena respecting the long association between the parties, he said.

They (Sena) have dug their own grave... in 6 months to one year, Shiv Sena will be wiped out, Gowda added.