Gowda likely to back UPA, awaits Cong invite

The Janata Dal S might have only three members in the Lok Sabha, but former prime minister and party chief H D Deve Gowda...

The Janata Dal S might have only three members in the Lok Sabha, but former prime minister and party chief H D Deve Gowda, in anticipation of a head-count to determine the fate of the UPA Government, is waiting to share a piece of the pie.

Gowda feels that this is the apt time for the party to mend ways with the Congress central leadership and is not willing to forego his own share of attention.

8220;I must make it clear that the question of my going with the BJP or any other communal force does not arise,8221; Gowda said while talking to The Indian Express here on Wednesday.

8220;We are committed to pursue secular politics and right now my first priority is to wash off the blot my son H D Kumaraswamy was in by running a coalition government with the BJP,8221; he said. 8220;I am sure, even Kumaraswamy learnt a lesson for having done it.8221; When asked if all this implied that he would back the Manmohan Singh Government in the event of a trial of strength in the Lok Sabha following a withdrawal of support by the Left, Gowda said, 8220;The Congress has not approached us so far. We would consider it but let the BJP bring a motion of no-confidence first.8221;

In order to make sure that he was not taken for granted by the Congress, Deve Gowda reached out to the Left during his brief stay in the capital by playing host to CPI general secretary A B Bardhan and secretary D Raja over a lunch at his Safdarjang Lane residence. Bardhan said later the meeting was intended just to understand one another8217;s position. Gowda described it as 8220;personal8221; saying they did not discuss 8220;much politics.8221;

No matter what he says, Gowda has his own compulsions for going with the Congress. While the Left has a token presence in Karnataka, the Congress is a key player. He has to act in tandem with the Congress to oust the ruling BJP and prevent it from poaching his flock in the assembly.

The JDS members in the Parliamentary are Gowda from Hassan, M Shivanna from Chamrajanagar and M P Veerendra Kumar from Calicut. All three are expected to back the UPA.