Former Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda, who was on Thursday re-elected as Janata Dal (Secular) chief, has emphasised the role of regional political parties and said that it isn't easy to destroy a regional party not only in Karnataka but in the entire country.
The JD-S, which is bracing up for next year's assembly polls in Karnataka, has been maintaining distance from both the BJP and Congress and is expected to announce its first list of candidates on November 1.
"Why are national political parties so scared of a regional political party? That itself shows that they are trembling. It isn't easy to destroy a regional party not only in Karnataka but in the entire country," Deve Gowda told ANI.
He was asked about the apparent efforts of the BJP and Congress to make light of the presence of JD-S in the state. Congress and JD-S have in the past accused each other of being B-team of BJP.
Deve Gowda, 89, had in August expressed hope that the erstwhile Janata Dal family will emerge as a political alternative in the country to the BJP.
His remarks came after Nitish Kumar broke ties with BJP and rejoined hands with RJD in Bihar to form a government with allies of Mahagathbandhan.
"I've been watching the developments in Bihar. It made me think of the days when the Janata Dal Parivar was under one roof. It gave three PMs. I'm in my advanced years, but if the younger generation decides, it can offer a good alternative," Deve Gowda had said in a tweet. .
JD-S leader and former Karnataka Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy had on Thursday slammed the BJP accusing it of attempting "to carry out Operation Lotus in Telangana".
( With inputs from ANI )
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