Former Karnataka chief minister HD Kumaraswamy, whose government collapsed after failing a trust vote in assembly earlier this week, has dismissed reports that a section of his party’s legislators is in favour of providing outside support to the newly formed BJP government.
Kumaraswamy was referring to a remark by Janata Dal-Secular legislator GT Devegowda, who claimed that some lawmakers talked of providing outside support to chief minister BS Yediyurappa’s government in a party meeting.
Meanwhile, Seconding the JD(S) stand on the support to the BJP, Former Prime Minister and Janata Dal-Secular supremo H D Deve Gowda too ruled out any support to the Bharatiya Janata Party government headed by B S Yediyurappa, saying his party would play the role of a ‘constructive’ Opposition.
“We are going to play a constructive role. As a regional party we will oppose where we have to oppose. That’s all. If you (Yediyurappa) do something good for the state, we will welcome it,” Deve Gowda told reporters in Bengaluru.
The JD-S patriarch said, “There is no big deal in saying so (support to the BJP). His (G T Devegowda’s) intention was that the finance bill was passed (before July 31) because it was a budget presented by Kumaraswamy.”
Gowda explained that G T Devegowda intended to say that the JD-S would not oppose every move of BJP just for the heck of it.
“The pain of losing power within 14 months instead of 60 months (five years) is evident among Congress and the JD-S leaders. Hence, G T Devegowda expressed his views. What’s the big deal in it? Isn’t it his right to express views?” he said.