145;Forget industry, we146;re pro poor146;

JDS chief H.D. Deve Gowda is fuming over Chief Minister Dharam Singh8217;s explanation to industrialists about Bangalore8217;s developm...

JDS chief H.D. Deve Gowda is fuming over Chief Minister Dharam Singh8217;s explanation to industrialists about Bangalore8217;s development. Launching a programme to mobilise funds for the party today, Gowda said there was no need to give explanations to industrialists. 8216;8216;Whatever the government has to show is for the poor,8217;8217; he said.

Later, however, Gowda retracted. 8216;8216;Following instructions from his party president, Chief Minister Dharam Singh may have given explanations to industrialists. I have nothing to say on the issue.8217;8217;

But during the function, Gowda had plenty to say. He charged that neglecting the poor was unpardonable. 8216;8216;There is no high command for us JD-S and we are not scared of elections,8217;8217; he added.

On reports about a crumbling Bangalore, he said: 8216;8216;I know what people are saying about me and Bangalore. I do not want to react now. When the time comes, I know what to do.8217;8217;

Taking a dig at Congress president Sonia Gandhi, Gowda said: 8216;8216;Can Sonia rule the country with 145 people? People have not mortgaged the country to any one party. They are not owners, and nor are we tenants.8217;8217;

On the delayed Cabinet expansion, Gowda said the government would not be affected by JDS. 8216;8216;After the chief minister gives a list of 11 persons to be inducted, I will give my list. Let them do whatever they want. We will go ahead with pro-poor programmes and organising the party.8217;8217;

On his party8217;s programme for fund-raising, Gowda took the Election Commission to task. 8216;8216;Seshan and Lyngdoh tried to reform the election process. But, there is no attempt at that now. The political parties have come to a stage where they have to beg before industrialists to fight elections. I decided to end that practice and am trying to collect money from the people,8217;8217; Gowda added.