Bangalore: On Monday, former prime minister H.D. Deve Gowda announced at a rally in Bangalore that he would “step back” and let the younger generation of Janata Dal (Secular), or JD(S), led by his son and former Karnataka chief minister H.D. Kumaraswamy, take over the reins of the party. The JD(S) national president, who appealed to the people of the state to elect 20 JD(S) lawmakers in the Lok Sabha elections due next year, said his party will fight both the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Congress party. In an interview, Gowda spoke of reviving the fortunes of the JD(S), which won only 28 of 224 seats in the assembly elections held this year in which the BJP rode to power on its own for the first time in Karnataka. The JD(S) had won 58 seats in the 2004 assembly polls. Edited excerpts:
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The JD(S) held a massive rally in Bangalore yesterday (Monday). Does this show of strength mean the party is gearing up for parliamentary polls?
No..unfortunately, our political opponents tried to send a message across the state that the JD(S) is almost finished. This is not to demonstrate a trial of strength. This a rally which is to create self confidence for the workers, create (a sense) that this party will rise to face any eventuality. And a resolution was also adopted yesterday.. (to) keep both BJP and Congress at equal distance and fight.
You say the rally showed the face of the youth of JD(S). But over last two years, so many front ranking leaders of the party have left the party. Do you have the leaders to replace them?
See, I’m not going to say front ranking leaders have no strength of their own. They also have their own area of strength, but it is unfortunate (that) they went. Why they went, what for, is it any mistake of mine I’m not going to describe. I don’t want to cast aspersions on Congress leaders who wanted to destabilise this party, thereby losing the Dharam Singh government (in 2006).
In the 2004 election also, the party was not cohesive. Now, an atmosphere was created that JD(S) is dead. So, the intention of the new president Kumaraswamy is to have an acid test (as to) whether his 20 months’ administration has been forgotten or is remembered.
Keeping the faith: Former prime minister and Janata Dal (Secular) chief H.D. Deve Gowda. Hemant Mishra / Mint
How much of a challenge is it to groom second rung leaders when parliamentary elections are due in a few months?I’m not going to intervene. The team is going to be selected by him and all the candidates for the eight assembly seats and 28 parliament seats are going to be selected by him. My interference may not be taken in a right spirit. Let the younger generation manage.