No govt possible at Centre sans regional parties' support: HDD

Bengaluru/Tirupati: Dismissing BJP’s assertion it will get more than 300 seats in the Lok Sabha elections, JDS supremo H D Deve Gowda Saturday said no national party can form the government without the support of regional parties.

Gowda, a former prime minister, also expressed confidence his son and Karnataka Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy would complete his five-year term.

Yesterday also he (BJP president Amit Shah just like that said they may get more than 300 seatsno; so will Congress come to power? both are national parties they (Congress) too have difficulty. Without the cooperation of regional parties, no national party can administer, he said.

Speaking to reporters here, he said, in the same way without (the support of) national parties no regional party can govern.”

JDS, an ally of Congress in Karnataka, has already pledged its support to Congress President Rahul Gandhi in forming a government at the Centre.

Addressing a press conference Friday, Shah had said BJP will have enough seats to form a government on its own. “We will get more than 300 seats. This election is to choose the country’s Prime Minister. Narendra Modi will be the PM,” he added.

Referring to doubts expressed over the longevity of the Kumaraswamy government, Gowda said such talks were on since his son became the Chief Minister last year and asserted the coalition government will remain in power and complete its term.

Rahul Gandhi and (UPA chairperson) Sonia Gandhi have decided they will support the coalition government under Kumaraswamys leadership for five years and even gave it in writing, he said, accusing the media of “creating confusion”.

Congress and JDS forged a post-poll alliance to form the coalition government after the assembly elections threw up a hung verdict.