Janata Dal (S) national president and former Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda on Wednesday said the Congress was a party that could go to “any extent to win elections”, after the Siddaramaiah government in Karnataka recommended ‘religious minority’ status for the Lingayat community.
“We do not know if the move would be fruitful or not. But the previous Congress government was opposed to the demand of Lingayats. Now they have accepted it. They can go to any extent to win elections,” said Mr. Gowda at a press conference here. He added that his party had maintained a neutral stand on the issue. He also said the JD(S) would be attending an all-party meeting on the Cauvery issue called by the government on Thursday.
On the JD(S)–BSP alliance, he said both the parties would benefit from joining hands in the upcoming Assembly elections in Karnataka. Asked if his party would support the no-confidence motion notices against the Narendra Modi government by two Andhra Pradesh parties, he said, “Let them come for discussion and then we shall take a stand. It should be done by major parties having good strength in Parliament.” The JD(S) has two members in the Lok Sabha.
