JD(S) to go it alone in municipal council elections

Bangalore, May 16 (UNI) Ruling Coalition partner Janata Dal (Secular) will fight on its own in the elections to Legislative Council and local bodies, Party National President H D Devegowda announced today.

Speaking to newsmen here after a highy level meeting of the party leaders attended State Party Chief M P Prakash, Chief Minister H D Kumaaraswamy and others, he said the meeting also discussed reorganisation of the party from grassroot level.

Replying to queries he said the meeting unanimously resolved to field the party candidates in all the elections without compromising its ideological stance. ''We can win three seats in the Council elections based on the party strength in the Assembly and for the other elections(teachers and graduates constituencies) we will highlight the party programmes,' he explained.

Asked whether his party would also field its candidates against two of the coalition partner Bharatiya Janata Party ministers who were seeking re-election, he replied in the affirmative and said such issues would be sorted out at a later stage.

To another question on whether he was under 'pressure' to recognise the coalition government headed by his son, Mr Devegowda said he had fought the Congress in 13 elections earlier and chose to align with them in the state after the last assembly elections due to fractured verdict. ''Did anyone pressurise me to align with Congress," he countered.

He chose not to discuss the exit of N Dharam Singh government and said it was a closed chapter. He declined to comment on the completion of 100 days of the coalition set up.

When his attention was drawn to criticism against him by Congress leaders including Mr Singh and Mr Mallikarjun Kharge, he remarked saying 'who has spared me.' He said he would undertake a statewide tour to reorganise the party from June second week. The district units, if need be, would be reorganised, he added.

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