Coalition exists only at state level: G.T. Devegowda

Higher education minister and Janata Dal (Secular) leader G.T. Devegowda  admits that there is a tough fight between  candidates of the Congress-Janata Dal (Secular) coalition and the Bharatiya Janata Party  in Mysuru-Kodagu constituency  but feels the coalition has done its best and its candidate C.H. Vijayshankar will sail through. In an interview with Deccan Chronicle, Mr Devegowda said the coalition arrangement exists at the state level but not at the local panchayat level where there is still fierce rivalry between the two parties. Had the candidates and constituencies of the coalition partners  been announced at least a month in advance, it would have been more helpful for leaders of both parties to work together and put in more efforts to convince workers at the local level to co-ordinate better, he stresses. “But still our workers have done well, except in Udbur in Chamundeswari assembly constituency where they have voted for the Bharatiya Janata Party. We may lose one or two seats but the coalition candidates will win a good number of seats in the state,” he says. Here are excerpts from the interview.

After the Lok Sabha elections, you said Janata Dal (Secular) workers had voted for the Bharatiya Janata Party candidate at a few places in Mysuru-Kodagu constituency including your own Chamundeswari Assembly constituency. Which are these places?
It has happened only in one place, Udbur village, which constitutes one gram panchayat, where there has always been a tough fight between the Congress and Janata Dal (Secular) in the local panchayat elections. I and Mr Siddaramaiah had spoken to the gram panchayat members of Udbur on the day before the election. But on election day, they (JD-S workers)  might have thought that if people voted for the Congress now, they would not vote for the JD(S) in the next election and so they made people vote for the Bharatiya Janata Party. But this has not happened in other places where JD (S) workers have backed the Congress. In Mysuru-Kodagu constituency, we (coalition partners) held a joint press conference. H.D. Deve Gowda and Siddaramaiah held a joint convention in

Mysuru. I and Mr Siddaramaiah campaigned together in Chamundeswari constituency. My son G.T. Harish and Dr Yatindra Siddaramaiah campaigned together in Chamundeswari too. We have done our best. In fact the way the coalition partners worked together in Mysuru-Kodagu constituency, it has set a good model for the entire state. All  Janata Dal (Secular) leaders, including  Sa Ra Mahesh, Mahadevu and A.H. Vishwanath  worked together in Mysuru district.

You had said before the election that you would not be responsible if the Congress candidate loses in Mysuru-Kodagu constituency.
During the previous Lok Sabha election,  Mr Siddaramaiah was Chief Minister, Mr V Srinivasprasad was revenue minister and Mysuru district minister, Dr H.C. Mahadevappa was Public Works minister. There were Congress MLAs in many places including Mr M.K. Somshekar in KR assembly constituency, Mr Vasu in Chamaraja assembly constituency, Mr Manjunath in Hunsur and Mr Venkatesh in Periyapatna but still Congress candidate for the Lok Sabha polls Mr A.H. Vishwanath lost. Could Siddaramaiah alone be held responsible for this?  What I mean to say is that a single leader cannot be held responsible for the poll result. All  leaders of the Congress and Janata Dal (Secular) should be ready to shoulder the responsibility of the poll verdict, be it victory or defeat.

What do you feel will be the verdict of the people? Do you feel the Congress candidate H. Vijayshankar  will win in Mysuru-Kodagu constituency?
There was a tough fight but I still feel the Congress candidate Mr  Vijayshankar will win here.

You had said that if the Congress and Janata Dal (Secular) had been completely united before the elections, the Bharatiya Janata Party  would not be able to win even five seats in the state. How many seats do you expect the coalition to win in Karnataka?
Yes. Had both Congress and Janata Dal (Secular) leaders announced the candidates and constituencies of both parties at least a month in advance, it would have been more helpful, and our leaders would have got more time to put in stronger efforts and also ensure better coordination among  party workers and voters at the local level where there is tough rivalry between Congress and Janata Dal (Secular) workers.  We may lose a few seats but we will still win the majority of the 28 seats in the state.

Where else do you feel cross voting has happened in the Lok Sabha polls?
It was  visible in Mandya.

Where do you feel the coalition failed in the state during the Lok Sabha elections?
The delay in the announcement of coalition candidates and the constituency of each party was the only mistake.

But Congress leaders claim it was decided that the coalition partners will face the Lok Sabha  elections together the moment the coalition government was formed in the state last year...  
Yes the coalition government was formed at the state level but where was there coordination at the local and APMC election levels? This is why I said coordination would have been established at the local level if the candidates had been announced earlier. For instance, there was confusion among people until 15 days ago if Mr H.D. Deve Gowda would contest from  Mysuru or Tumakuru? And was a proper announcement made that the Congress and JD (S) will face the Lok Sabha polls together when the coalition government was formed?

In election speeches you had repeatedly said that if the coalition government had to continue, Janata Dal (Secular) workers have to support the Congress. Do you feel the Lok Sabha poll verdict will have any impact on the coalition government's stability?
There is no connection between the state government and the new Central government. The Central government will focus on the welfare of the country. Why would they want to lose goodwill  by toppling a state government?  

If the Bharatiya Janata Party  comes to power at the Centre, party’s state leaders feel they can get enough coalition MLAs on their side to topple the government and go for elections. They are preparing for it too. But which MLA would want to go for elections again?
Yes I have said and even Siddaramaiah has said that we need to stay united for the coalition government to continue. We all have to stay united and we will stay united.

There have been rumours that Mr Siddaramaiah will become CM and  Mr Revanna,  Deputy Chief Minister after the Lok Sabha poll results. Will there be changes in the coalition government after the results?
There is no move of this kind now. We are all waiting for the verdict of the Lok Sabha polls.