I am here to stay, Deve Gowda tells Goans

Panaji, May 31 (UNI) Former prime minister H D Deve Gowda, who stirred a controversy with his demand for second language status to Kannada in Goa, today said that people of this tourist state were looking for a new political alternative and his party was ready to fill in that vacuum.

Addressing a press conference here, Mr Gowda said his party JD (S) had pledged a discrimination-free, environment-friendly, clean and transparent government. JD(S) was not a 'fly by the night' political outfit which had come here to test waters. ''I am here to stay and Goa will remain high on the priority list of my party which has two Lok Sabha and two Rajya Sabha members,'' he said.

When asked how many seats he expected to win here, he said he was confident and optimistic about the performance of his twelve candidates.

''I am going back with confidence. The fate of JD(S) candidates is not in my hands but at the hands of Goans,'' he added.

To a question on his stand over the controversial Mhadei water sharing issue between Goa and Karnataka, Mr Gowda said inter-state water sharing disputes was not new in India. ''Political parties cannot take a stand or decide on such issues,'' he added.

UNI