I may be a reluctant candidate but the BJP is desperate to use this as a strategy: KBG
Sandeep Moudgal | TNN | Apr 3, 2019, 19:57 IST
Krishna Byregowda BENGALURU: While admitting the fact that he was a “consensus “ candidate after JD(S) national president HD Deve Gowda decided to contest from Tumakuru, rural development and panchayat raj (RDPR) minister and a confidante of AICC president Rahul Gandhi Krishna Byregowda says his initial reluctance is now turning into an eagerness to have a national “exposure”. With a “realistic” chance of defeating sitting Union minister DV Sadananda Gowda with seven of the eight assembly segments in Bangalore North parliamentary constituency held by the Congress (5)-JD(S) (2) alliance, the MLA says an “undercurrent” against prime minister Narendra Modi and an absentee MP in his rival will help him cross the finish line. Excerpts from his interview.
Q) Are you a Deve Gowda nominee or that of the Congress?
A) The decision to contest from Tumakuru by HD Deve Gowda was conveyed to AICC general secretary KC Venugopal and KPCC president Dinesh Gundu Rao. During the discussion he gave the suggestion that I should be the candidate, as he would personally come to campaign for me. No sooner was this suggestion given, the party state leadership including CLP leader Siddaramaiah, DK Shivakumar, Parameshwara and the local JD(S) and Congress MLAs prevailed over me to contest. In a way I am a consensus candidate and not any one person’s nominee.
Q) The BJP has been considering that your “reluctance” to contest is an advantage for them, considering you are not keen on going to national politics...
A) It did come to my notice that the BJP has been trying to spread such fake news. I would consider it an insult if somebody questioned my seriousness in contesting elections. I am not one to betray my own concience or the leaders and partyworkers of both parties. I contest to win. Perhaps, this is an indicator of the BJP having acceeded to defeat and is trying to create a fake perception about me.
Q) There are rumours that a section of your own party wants to send you to national politics, thereby keeping you away from state politics...
A) These are only rumours and I have no such doubts about my party colleagues. And even if there were such developments, in politics it is not so easy to rob people of their opportunities. For all you know I may get a bigger and better break from getting elected to the Parliament.
Q) With you contesting from North, Eshwar Khandre from Bidar and two vacancies of Umesh Jadhav and that of late C S Shivalli, is it not putting the K’taka coalition govt at risk?
A) This point was thought of by the two parties and a general decision was taken that only in exceptional cases will an MLA be fielded. While we have a good chance of winning back the Bhalki seat of Khandre, in Bytrayanapura it is not a easy one. However, with the Congress-JD(S) alliance we should be able to retain it.
Q) How big an impact does PM Modi have in your urban pocket?
A) There is an undercurrent against PM Modi after his false promise of “acche din”. The working class is disillusioned from his promises of job prospects. There is a sense of betryal among that.
Q) How big an impact will the migratory population have on your results?
A) This large migratory population is from the working class with the alliance with JD(S) helping in this situation with most intra-state migration being from the strongholds of the regional party and Congress like Kolar, Chikkballapura, Tumakur, Mandya, Hassan and Bangalore rural. The inter-state migration also to a certain extent has been disillusioned with BJP and PM Modi, but the out-of-state migrants are outnumbered by this working class.
Q) How do you assess the lack of leadership in the Mahagatbandhan to challenge PM Modi, considering you are considered a confidante of the AICC president Rahul Gandhi?
A) (Laughs) I am not a confidante or anything of the president. But over the last four years, when there were none to challenge PM Modi saab, we have seen a serious upsurge in the acceptance of Rahul Gandhi as a leader in the country over the last two years. We are seeing a serious challenge to Modi in this regard.
Q) Are you a Deve Gowda nominee or that of the Congress?
A) The decision to contest from Tumakuru by HD Deve Gowda was conveyed to AICC general secretary KC Venugopal and KPCC president Dinesh Gundu Rao. During the discussion he gave the suggestion that I should be the candidate, as he would personally come to campaign for me. No sooner was this suggestion given, the party state leadership including CLP leader Siddaramaiah, DK Shivakumar, Parameshwara and the local JD(S) and Congress MLAs prevailed over me to contest. In a way I am a consensus candidate and not any one person’s nominee.
Q) The BJP has been considering that your “reluctance” to contest is an advantage for them, considering you are not keen on going to national politics...
A) It did come to my notice that the BJP has been trying to spread such fake news. I would consider it an insult if somebody questioned my seriousness in contesting elections. I am not one to betray my own concience or the leaders and partyworkers of both parties. I contest to win. Perhaps, this is an indicator of the BJP having acceeded to defeat and is trying to create a fake perception about me.
Q) There are rumours that a section of your own party wants to send you to national politics, thereby keeping you away from state politics...
A) These are only rumours and I have no such doubts about my party colleagues. And even if there were such developments, in politics it is not so easy to rob people of their opportunities. For all you know I may get a bigger and better break from getting elected to the Parliament.
Q) With you contesting from North, Eshwar Khandre from Bidar and two vacancies of Umesh Jadhav and that of late C S Shivalli, is it not putting the K’taka coalition govt at risk?
A) This point was thought of by the two parties and a general decision was taken that only in exceptional cases will an MLA be fielded. While we have a good chance of winning back the Bhalki seat of Khandre, in Bytrayanapura it is not a easy one. However, with the Congress-JD(S) alliance we should be able to retain it.
Q) How big an impact does PM Modi have in your urban pocket?
A) There is an undercurrent against PM Modi after his false promise of “acche din”. The working class is disillusioned from his promises of job prospects. There is a sense of betryal among that.
Q) How big an impact will the migratory population have on your results?
A) This large migratory population is from the working class with the alliance with JD(S) helping in this situation with most intra-state migration being from the strongholds of the regional party and Congress like Kolar, Chikkballapura, Tumakur, Mandya, Hassan and Bangalore rural. The inter-state migration also to a certain extent has been disillusioned with BJP and PM Modi, but the out-of-state migrants are outnumbered by this working class.
Q) How do you assess the lack of leadership in the Mahagatbandhan to challenge PM Modi, considering you are considered a confidante of the AICC president Rahul Gandhi?
A) (Laughs) I am not a confidante or anything of the president. But over the last four years, when there were none to challenge PM Modi saab, we have seen a serious upsurge in the acceptance of Rahul Gandhi as a leader in the country over the last two years. We are seeing a serious challenge to Modi in this regard.
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