Bangalore, July 17: JD(S) president H D Deve Gowda on Wednesday said his party will align with the Samajwadi Party (SP), Left parties and Telugu Desam Party (TDP) during the upcoming elections to the Rajasthan Assembly as a prelude to a similar alliance for the all-important Lok Sabha polls.
Addressing a press conference here, Gowda said that he was already in touch with Mulayam Singh, Left party leaders and TDP chief N Chandrababu Naidu with regard to the pre-poll alliance in Rajasthan.
Gowda said that no name has been given for the alternative force and that the Rajasthan elections will be the first step towards forming an alternative to the Congress and the BJP.
“Call it whatever, but an alternative to the Congress and BJP-led alliances will come to power at the Centre. That I am sure of,” said Gowda.
On JD(S) seeking an alliance with former Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa’s KJP, Gowda said that there was no question of it as of now.
“Yeddyurappa has already made an open statement in the Assembly that he will be joining hands with the BJP. With these kinds of statements making the rounds, there is no question of the JD(S) joining hands with Yeddyurappa,” he said. He refused to elaborate on the matter. Gowda said that he has already had a detailed meeting on Monday with the Union Minister for Agriculture, Sharad Pawar and has sought further assistance for coconut and arecanut growers in the State.
Writes to CM
He said a detailed letter has been dispatched to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah highlighting the issues which are plaguing the coconut growers and arecanut farmers and, seeking his immediate attention towards their woes.
It is said that the Centre has allocated Rs 2,300 crore to coconut growers in the country, of which the State has received Rs 430 crore. He sought Siddaramaiah’s intervention in the matter.
While welcoming the decision to waive the loans given to the farmers of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes by Siddaramaiah, Gowda has appealed to the Coconut Development Board (CDB) to give additional subsidies.
At present, the relief to coconut grove owners is placed at Rs 13,000 for the first 20 trees which are infected or are suffering from diseases, after which every infected tree will ensure that the farmer receives Rs 500.
