BJP's decision to support J D (S) in bypoll 'wise decision' : Gowda

New Delhi, Nov 15 (UNI) Janata Dal (Secular) President and former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda today appreciated the stand taken by the Karnataka unit of the BJP to extend its support to his party's candidate in the forthcoming bypoll against former Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, but insisted that he still was part of the UPA at the Centre.

Talking to mediapersons here, Mr Gowda said BJP's decision to support JD (S) was 'wise decision' because it had always been either Janata Dal or the Congress which won the elections in the constituency. There was also a vicious campaign in the districts that the coalition would collapse after the byelection, he added.

Asked if his party would join the NDA, he said though the coalition between his party and the Congress had fallen through, it was a fact that he had not withdrawn his support to the UPA coalition despite the 'humiliations' heaped on the party MLAs.

He however said he had his own 'reservations' about economic policies and he would express it in Parliament. As far as joining the NDA, he said nobody had approaced him and the issue was not before the party.

Asked if he had forgiven his son and Karnataka Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy, Mr Gowda said he and 38 others were suspended from the party and the issue was pending before the disciplinary committee of the party. As far as the working of the JD (S)-BJP coalition was concerned, the government was implementing pro-poor policies effectively and everybody was appreciating that fact.

To a question if he regretted coming over to the Centre and lose his base in Karnataka politics, he said his becoming PM in 1996 was under force of circumstances. "It was not given to me on a platter.

Mr Gowda was a nobody if Mr V P Singh or Jyoti Basu were to accept to lead the UF", he said.

UNI MCN VD HT1822