JD(S) will win many seats, I'll have the last laugh: H D Deve Gowda

Hassan: Janata Dal (Secular) supremo, H D Deve Gowda claimed on Saturday that he was unfazed by the Congress and BJP setting their poll juggernaut in motion with their biggies, AICC vice-president, Rahul Gandhi and national BJP president, Amit Shah descending on the state simultaneously to bolster the mood in their respective parties.

“We have enough strength, and both divine and people's blessings to fight thee national parties and come to power in the state,” he declared while speaking to reporters after offering prayers at the Mavinakere Ranganatha Swamy Temple in Hassan.

Declaring that he would have the last laugh on his rivals who were mocking his party and claiming that it had little chance of winning any substantial number of seats in the coming assembly poll, he asserted, “Our party will win  many seats and I will have the last laugh.” 

Maintaining that he relied on people's power and not on money power to win elections, he said his party would field candidates in all 224 assembly constituencies in the state. 

“I will go to the people seeking votes for my party and we will fight the elections  under a collective leadership,” he added.

Denying that he was taking  a soft stance on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Mr Gowda said he was willing to fully cooperate with him in  developing the country , but his fight against the BJP's ideology would continue.

On the worsening relations between India and China, the former Prime Minister said that the country's soldiers were fully capable of thwarting any attempts by the Chinese army to intrude into the country.

“I don't know if there will be a war or not, but all political parties must stand united,” he said.