Bengaluru: Janata Dal (Secular) party president H D Deve Gowda seems to play the guessing game with apt as he lauded Union Rail Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw’s efforts following the June 2 Odisha train tragedy in which at least 288 lives were lost and more than 1000 injured.
“Ashwini Vaishnaw has worked tirelessly and drawn appreciation,” Deve Gowda said.
The Opposition parties including Congress, Aam Aadmi Party, Baharat Janata Party, Janata Dal party, Trinamool Congress and many others have demanded Vaishnaw’s resignation over the monstrous incident.
Gowda’s recent statements on the rail minister bring more twists and turn into the political circus arena.
“Vaishnaw has taken all possible measures to deal with the huge losses and damages incurred in the train tragedy. The minister is working at his full capacity and demanding resignation at this phase is not tenable,” Deve Gowda stated.
On Tuesday, the JD (S) chief when asked about a possible alliance with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for the General Elections that are scheduled in 2024, Gowda downplayed it by saying he could not tell which party was communal and which was not.
“I can analyse in detail this country’s politics, what is the use? Show me one party which has not been associated with the BJP, either directly or indirectly. Show me one party in the whole country, then I will answer,” Gowda said in response to a question about Bihar CM Nitish Kumar trying to forge an anti-BJP front at the national level.
He said the JD (S) is currently focused on the upcoming Zilla, taluk and Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) elections in Karnataka.
“Party workers should not be disheartened by the Assembly election results. Focus on the upcoming elections. Know your strengths and make strategies based on those. Decide on which constituencies we should contest,” he said.
Over the big Opposition meeting that is slated to be held in Patna on June 12, Gowda was asked if he supported Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar’s called for a Unified Opposition against the saffron party, he said, “Some Congress leaders may say — but, had they not gone to Karunanidhi (of DMK), who supported BJP for six years, whether directly or indirectly…. that’s why I don’t want to discuss the political atmosphere prevailing in this country, there is no need, I have seen it as PM, CM, as MP…what happened in Maharashtra? I can quote several incidents.”
