"Never said CM Vijayan gave consent to JDS-NDA alliance": Deve Gowda goes back on his earlier statement

BENGALURU: JDS National President HD Deve Gowda has gone back on his statement that Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan had agreed with the JDS-NDA alliance. "I did not say that the CPM was in favor of the JDS-NDA alliance", he said. He also stated that the JDS state unit in Kerala still remains a part of the LDF government.

"Disagreements still persist over party elements outside Karnataka. The CPM leaders should have been careful with their words.", he added. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan rejected Deve Gowda's earlier statement said that the Left Chief Minister had given full consent to the JDS-NDA alliance and that the CPM had realized that this was to save the party.

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said that the statement attributed to Deve Gowda was untrue and complete nonsense. The Chief Minister also stated that he is lying to find justification for his own political upheavals. "Janata Dal S is a party that has been standing with the Left Democratic Front in Kerala for ages. Their state leadership has a tradition of taking a stance with the LDF in Kerala when the national leadership announced a different stand. CPM has never tried to comment or interfere in the internal affairs of that party in any way.", he said.

"Even as Chief Minister, there was never a need to interfere in their internal affairs. That's not our way. None of us is responsible for anyone's revelation. It is propriety and political decency to correct Deve Gowda's absurd statement. The stand taken by JDS Kerala unit is that they are against BJP and not with Deve Gowda. State President Mathew T Thomas and Minister K Krishnankutty have unequivocally stated that Deve Gowda's statement is wrong.", CM Vijayan added.