If JDS is secular, it must vote for Congress, says MB Patil

MYSURU/HASSAN: Former Home Minister and KPCC campaign committee in-charge MB Patil stated if the JDS is committed to secular values, they should support the Congress candidate in the Rajya Sabha elections, and added that its time for the regional party to return to power.Addressing a joint press conference on Thursday, with Krishna Byregowda, and others he demanded the JDS consider the sacrifice made by Congress in the past election and support its candidate in the Rajya Sabha polls.

“During the previous election, considering the contribution of JDS supremo and former PM HD Deve Gowda, the party supported him to get elected to the Rajya Sabha. The sacrifice made by the Congress needs to be considered now. Our candidate Mansoor Khan has met Deve Gowda and has appealed for his cooperation,” said Byregowda.

Patil said it is time for JDS to prove their secular credentials by supporting the minority candidate. He exuded confidence of winning majority seats in the upcoming MLC polls and said, “The graduates and teachers who are fed up with the maladministration of BJP and have distanced themselves from the saffron party. We will be able to cross 150 seats in the assembly election,” he said.

Efforts to retain power
Patil alleged that the state government has failed in financial management.
He said that the BJP leaders are making futile efforts to retain power by making bogus promises. 
The Narendra Modi-led central government has failed to keep its promises and has plunged the country into huge unemployment while promises made to different sectors in various stages are yet to be fulfilled, he said.

Reiterating the 40 per cent allegation against the state government, Patil said that government has miserably failed to curb corruption which is rampant in all the departments. He urged the government to withdraw the revision of textbooks and asked the government to form a new textbook revision committee and revise the syllabus in the interest of the students.