Gowda in favour of polls, not party

A day after senior JD(S) leader M P Prakash returned from New Delhi where he held discussions with the Congress on the possibility of reforging alliance, former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda announced that his party preferred polls.

However, the decision has not been well accepted by a majority of the party legislators.

A revolt has already started within JD(S) with a section of the leaders holding parleys with Congress. Gowda, who held a party meeting, at a hurriedly convened press conference later on Thursday, said that both parties (Congress and BJP) had drawn the curtains on forming any alliance with the JD(S).

"There is no option before us than going to polls. We are not afraid of elections," he contended.

He admitted that a section of the party legislators are not in favour of elections. "That is the case with legislators of other parties also. They are apprehensive of going for midterm polls. When all parties have closed the doors, where is the need for negotiations," he felt.

Gowda said he had directed his party leaders to concentrate on building the party base to face the elections.

However, the leaders, led by former deputy chief minister M P Prakash made it clear that they are not in favour of the elections.

"We have not heard the final word yet from the Congress. We are told that the issue of forming the government is before the Congress president Sonia Gandhi. Polls are the lost option," he said.