'Yes, I am BJP's B team leader, so what', Deve Gowda responds to Rahul Gandhi

Bengaluru, Apr 20 (IANS): Former Prime Minister and Janata Dal-Secular (JD-S) president H.D. Deve Gowda on Friday responding to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's 'JD-S is BJP's B team' remark, said: "Yes. I am BJP's B team leader. So what?"

Addressing a gathering in the Kolar Parliamentary seat for NDA candidate Mallesh Babu, he said that in the last Assembly election, people elected the Congress government for guarantees, and now, people and women are suffering for even drinking water in Bengaluru.

"The Ettinahole project to provide water to the region was sanctioned by then Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar during the tenure of the BJP government. The pipes laid for the project are rusting now. The Congress is not giving priority to the project," Deve Gowda said.

Deve Gowda further stated that after the Lok Sabha election, the Congress government would not be in power.

"I am 93 years old. In 2014, I challenged Prime Minister Narendra Modi and got defeated. I was ready to submit my resignation as I had challenged. However, Prime Minister Modi told me that I should be in the Parliament as my experience was needed," Deve Gowda recounted.

"This time PM Modi has the conviction of winning 400 Lok Sabha seats," he added.

Wayanad MP Rahul Gandhi during his recent visit to Karnataka had criticised Deve Gowda, saying he had warned the people that JD-S was a B team of BJP, but now they have even become partners.