Bengaluru: Former Prime Minister H. D. Deve Gowda will not run for President, said JD (S) leader H. D. Kumaraswamy.
He claimed that the 89-year-old JD (S) patriarch’s only aim is to see the JD(S) form an independent government in Karnataka.
“A few days ago, Mamata Banerjee (West Bengal Chief Minister) called me and our National President (Gowda) to a meeting (opposition meeting on the President candidate). We had attended the meeting, which was attended by about 17 parties, who had expressed their opinion, he said in response to a question,” he said.
Speaking to mediapersons he said, “Another round of meetings would most likely be called on June 20 to decide on the presidential candidate, as the previous meeting had yielded no outcomes.”
“No, there is no question of Deve Gowda’s name in the race (for Presidency), he has no interest in it. His aim is to see the JD (S) form an independent government in Karnataka during his lifetime,” he stated in answer to a question about Gowda as a possible presidential candidate.
A meeting of over17 opposition parties was held to get a consensus on fielding a joint candidate against the BJP-led NDA om June 15.
“In the forthcoming Presidential elections, held in the year of the 75th anniversary of Indian independence, we have decided to field a common candidate who will truly serve as the custodian of the constitution and stop the Modi government from doing further damage to India’s social fabric and democracy,” the opposition leaders said.
The election is set to take place on July 18.
