Rahul Gandhi, HD Deve Gowda to address first joint rally today

Bengaluru, 31 Mar 2019 [Fik/News Sources]: As discontent continues to simmer among their workers over the seat sharing for the Lok Sabha poll, the JD(S) and Congress are preparing to launch a joint election campaign at a mega rally on the outskirts of the city in the presence of Congress president, Rahul Gandhi and JD(S) patriarch, H. D. Deve Gowda on Sunday.

The 'Parivartana Samavesha'  will be the first such rally of the two parties after the combine came to power in the state in May last year. Speaking to reporters here on Saturday,  Chief Minister H. D. Kumaraswamy, who visited the BIEC ground near Nelamanagala, where the rally will be held  to inspect the arrangements, called it a "historic event."

"This will be the first joint campaign by the Congress and JD(S). Sunday's meeting will be historic as it will send a clear message to the people of the country from Karnataka for the Lok Sabha polls," he said.

KPCC president, Dinesh Gundu Rao too explained that the rally was intended  to send a strong message of unity to  leaders and workers of both parties.

“This will be a memorable event. Both parties expect around five lakh workers to attend it, “ he added, clarifying  in response to a question that no leader of the Mahaghatbandan  at the national level had been invited.

Going by sources, besides Congress and JD(S) ministers and MLAs, Sunday’s  rally will be attended by lakhs of workers of both parties from Tumakuru, Ramanagara, Bengaluru rural and urban districts.

The show of unity at the rally could be crucial for the success of the coalition partners in the coming poll as the  Congress and JD(S) have been facing rebellion among their party workers over the sharing of constituencies.

With the parties having fought each other in the May 2018 assembly polls their workers are finding it hard to reconcile to the present reality that requires them to bury their differences.