Gowda invites non-NDA Oppn for talks to target BJP

NEW DELHI: Former prime minister H D Deve Gowda is reaching out to non-Congress, non-BJP parties to take on the two main parties on corruption issues.

The JD(S) chief, who has been accusing the Yeddyurappa government in Karnataka of facilitating corruption, has invited leaders of the Left and “like-minded” parties for a meeting at his residence on Monday.

In a letter sent to parties, he has said that instances of corruption were surfacing almost daily and needed to be taken up on a wider scale.

Mr Gowda, who is apparently sending the message that BJP’s attack on Congress over corruption issues was like ‘pot calling the kettle black’, is understood to have written to all parties barring those in UPA and NDA.

The meeting has been called at a time when the government-opposition stand-off over corruption issues has paralysed proceedings in Parliament. Mr Gowda’s strategy could drive a wedge within the Opposition, which has unitedly taken on the government over corruption issues. BJP, Left and other opposition parties are demanding telecom minister A Raja’s resignation and a JPC to probe into corruption allegations in conduct of the Commonwealth Games and Adarsh housing.

Mr Gowda had last month described the BJP government in Karnataka as the “most corrupt in the country.” He paraphrased Shakespeare to hit out at Karnataka chief minister B S Yeddyurappa. “All the perfumes of Arabia will not sweeten Yeddyurappa’s hands,” he had said. The BJP government was on the verge of a political crisis after 11 of its MLAs turned rebels questioning Mr Yeddyurappa’s leadership. Mr Gowda had alleged that BJP was trying to “purchase MLAs as if they were vegetables.”