BENGALURU: Former prime minister and JDS supremo HD Deve Gowda on Saturday asserted that he will not rest until his party is revived in the state, and wished that about 80 women contest the next Assembly polls on the party’s ticket. Accordingly, he tasked his grandson, JDS Youth Wing state president Nikhil Kumaraswamy, to organise rallies across the state.
“Your (Nikhil) grandfather will never sleep. I know how to safeguard my party which I will not reveal now. Everyone should work together for the party organisation. I will also go everywhere for rallies and the youth should build the organisation under Nikhil’s leadership,” he said at an International Women’s Day programme observed at the JDS office here.
“The one who gave strength to women is Prime Minister Narendra Modi. We are with him, and there is no fear. At least, 50 women’s conferences should be held in futurem for which I will give money, even if it requires me to raise funds. Union minister HD Kumaraswamy will come, and I will come, and Nikhil should travel across the state and build the party,” he said.
“In the coming years, at least 80 women should contest for the Assembly from our party. I should see it with my own eyes. Modi has implemented many programmes for women’s empowerment as the Women’s Reservation Bill has been passed in the Lok Sabha,” he pointed out.
He alleged that even as the JDS empowered the weaker sections by introducing reservation in electoral politics in local bodies, the Congress is claiming credit and reaping dividends.
Refusing to react to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s 16th budget for 2025-26, Gowda charged, “He has presented the budget. I will not say a word. I will speak when the time comes. But he is talking about social justice. We brought social justice and reservation for the weaker sections in this state. But the Congress is reaping the political benefit.”