BENGALURU: JDS patriarch HD Deve Gowda on Saturday said it will be good if all secular regional parties, including the Congress, unite in the interest of the country.
He also praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his commitment to expanding his party across the country, pointing at his trip to Gujarat, where elections are slated by the end of this year, soon after five state election results, and expected similar quality in his own party leaders and workers.
"The only agenda before me is how to save and nurture my party in the current political scenario. What is the situation of the Congress today? It is limited to certain places like a regional party. It will be good if all secular regional parties, including the Congress, unite in the interest of the country," the former PM told reporters here.
Noting that it is left for the leaders of the parties to decide on it, he said his attempt in this regard by uniting six Chief Ministers of various states and 15 political leaders on one stage, during his son and former Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy's swearing in 2018, failed, and that he would not think of attempting it a second time.
Speaking on the election results in five states, the JDS supremo praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi's commitment to expand his party's presence across the country. "The victory (in four out of five states) is his (Modi). Soon after the results he went to Gujarat and camped there for two days. He has a yearning and commitment to expand his party to all the regions of the country. I saw it on TV, he has lined up a series of meetings and events. We should also have the same feelings," he said.
Observing that he or Kumaraswamy cannot achieve things, Gowda said all the leaders and workers of the JDS should work unitedly. "My only aim is to save this party in the state......in this regard on March 20, I have called a meeting of party leaders and workers who are committed, at palace grounds in Bengaluru to prepare a strategy," he said, adding that he will travel two districts every month, ahead of assembly elections in 2023.
Gowda also said the Congress' inability to solve internal issues and taking everyone together led to its poor performance in Punjab, giving full advantage to Aam Aadmi Party. Ruling out any alliance ahead of 2023 assembly polls, in response to a question he said, his party will fight against both the national parties.
"This party had ruled the country at one point of time. Jealousy, impatience and several other reasons led to its current situation, people within could not tolerate that a Kannadiga became a Prime Minister. I don't want to take any names, but I will go to the people with work we have done, while in power," he said.
Responding to a question, Gowda said that it's not easy to advance assembly elections in the state, as Karnataka politics is different from others.