‘Congress failed to follow the coalition dharma’

Kunwar Danish Ali, general secretary and spokesperson of the Janata Dal (Secular), speaks about party chief Deve Gowda's response to the Congress' self-serving shenanigans.

Is the JD (S) really divided, or is it a strategy by Deve Gowda to gain power with the Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) help and retain his secular credentials at the same time?
We had entered into a partnership with the Congress with a clear conscience. We joined hands with the Congress in spite of having fought bitterly against the party itself. Our aim was to stop the growth of the BJP in Karnataka. It was Deve Gowda's hard work that prevented the BJP from gaining an absolute majority. We planned to run the coalition government for its full tenure. But the Congress failed to follow the coalition dharma: it refused to honour the commitments [it had] made regarding the sharing of power. It humiliated our leader and went to the extent of attempting to split our MLAs to remain in power. While Deve Gowda remained patient, a section of the MLAs was obviously furious over the Congress' behaviour. Deve Gowda is not with the BJP and will never go with that party.

But have father and son finally parted ways? Or are there more surprises in store?
Believe me, Deve Gowda is making his best efforts to persuade [HD Kumaraswamy] and other party MLAs to return to the party fold. We are hopeful that they will see pitfalls of joining hands with the BJP and return home in time. If they don't, Deve Gowda will take action against them.

But nobody is buying the argument that the split has occurred against Deve Gowda's wishes.
This is a canard being spread by the Congress to tarnish Deve Gowda's image. The Congress has launched this campaign with a view to make a dent in the secular image of Deve Gowda and the JD (S). But, in the next elections, the people of Karnataka will show which the real secular party is. The Congress government was defeated in the previous election and the party's strength came down by about 100 seats. In the next election, it will be completely wiped out.

Who do you think will gain most from the current imbroglio in Karnataka?
In spite of the best efforts of the Congress to blame our party, the JD(S) will emerge as the main gainer. The public is as upset with the Congress as the rank and file of the JD(S) for the treatment it meted out to our leader. The Congress is hoping that Kumaraswamy's decision will dent Deve Gowda's secular image, but this will not happen. The people of Karnataka know Deve Gowda's contribution in integrating society. He doesn't make empty slogans. He walks his talk. The minorities are safe under his leadership. It was Deve Gowda who gave four per cent reservation to Muslims in educational institutions, jobs and local bodies. The Hubli Idgah Maidan issue, which had been simmering for years and had claimed innocent lives almost every year, was resolved within months of Deve Gowda becoming chief minister. So, we are not bothered by the campaign against our leader and our party. We will be the biggest gainer.