Gowda asks son to quit CM post if he can't deliver

Bangalore, Apr 11: Former Prime Minister and Janata Dal (Secular) National President H D Deve Gowda today asked Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy to quit, if he stumbled upon roadblocks to deliver the common minimum programme of the JD(S)-BJP coalition front.

Stating that he was against the party forging ties with BJP to form a government, he told Mr Kumaraswamy, his son, to come out of the coalition government if he found it difficult in pursuing the Common Minimum Programme (CMP) of the Karnataka Development Front (KDF).

Maintaining that the people have chosen to strengthen Regional Parties to protect their interests, he said that JD(S) had no fear to face the elections.

Despite the coalition government taking several pro-poor and pro-people policies and measure, he regretted that during last 14 months the employment growth has come down and wanted the government to take steps to generate employment opportunity.

Mr Gowda said that he would undertake a tour from tomorrow to strengthen the party eliciting opinion from party Ministers and workers.

He said that non-fulfilment of the promise to accommodate the party members to various Boards and Corporations would have impact on the party's growth.

UNI