BANGALORE: The father and son duo of HD Deve Gowda and HD Kumaraswamy on Wednesday tried to mollify the JDS workers in their own way. Stung by the workers’ complaints that their voices are never heard, the party organised a meeting at the Palace Grounds. ‘Nishtavanta,’ (loyal) party workers were taken aback when Gowda called the party’s coalition with the Congress for 14 months, a mistake.
And in an emotional outburst, Kumaraswamy said: “Do you remember that I shed tears when I met you after taking over as CM? I did it because I did not meet your expectations. With 37 MLAs compared to their (Congress) 80, I felt obligated to them. I swallowed poison like Vishakanta (Lord Shiva). I wept thinking of all the limitations. I was not free as a CM.’’
Addressing the mammoth rally, Gowda slammed the Congress calling it a ‘curse’. He was quoting his former colleague (late) J H Patel, who had said BJP was a ‘cancer’ and Congress a ‘curse’.Gowda did not specify why he considered the Congress a mistake or a curse or why he felt so let down by it. He said, “I would like to submit that ‘ I am to blame’.
”Speaking about the present government, Gowda said, “I wish this BJP government continues for the three years and eight months left. But then, we don’t know what will happen, we need to be alert.”