Deve Gowda speaks to KCR, extends support to form anti-BJP alliance

“Every one should fight against communal elements,” says the JD(S) chief

ITDC INDIA EPREES/ITDC NEWS R Former Prime Minister and Janata Dal (Secular) president H.D. Deve Gowda on Tuesday spoke to Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao over phone and extended support to the efforts for bringing the opposition parties together against the BJP.

Rao had on Sunday said he would soon meet his counterparts in Maharashtra and West Bengal, Uddhav Thackeray and Mamata Banerjee, respectively, as part of the efforts to unite various political parties against the saffron party.

"Rao Saab, you are fighting very well. Every one should fight against the communal elements. To protect our country's secularism, culture and its diverse culture we will be with you and support you. Continue your fight and our total support will be there for you," a CMO release quoted Gowda as saying.

According to the release, Rao told Gowda that he would visit Bengaluru and meet him on the issue.

Rao, who has been critical of the BJP and the Central government on a number of issues, has been at the forefront of the campaign to form an grand opposition alliance ahead of the general elections.

On Sunday, he said he might go to Mumbai anytime soon to meet Thackeray while the West Bengal CM is expected to come to Hyderabad. Charging that the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led NDA government should be dumped for its alleged anti-people policies, he said he would play a major role in uniting anti-BJP political parties.

Rao said though he had met several opposition leader and Chief Ministers before 2019 polls, things went in a different way with BJP coming back to power. He said the present situation is now proving to be disastrous to the nation as day by day it is worsening.

"Country is fully filled with religious emotions which is not desirable, which is uncalled for, which is unwanted and not good for the country,” he said.

Mamata Banerjee is also making similar efforts to form a united front against the BJP and has already reached out to Rao and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin.

"The country's federal structure has been bulldozed...the country's Constitution is being demolished. We all need to come together to protect it," she said on Monday.