BANGALORE, Jan 18: The national president of Lok Shakti Ramakrishna Hegde reiterated on Saturday that his party will try to protect its independent ideology, thinking and aspirations in the wake of its alliance with Bharatiya Janata Party.Expressing confidence over a government by BJP and its allies at the Centre after the Lok Sabha elections, he said in his maiden press meet here after the tie-up with the BJP, that there were indications of a change in the political thinking within the BJP. ``And this has prompted us to go in for alliance,'' he justified.
``We were trying to have an alliance with Congress, when suddenly the party started projecting Sonia as the saviour. We could not bear this. We do not have any personal enimity against her; we are upset about the attitude of the Congress leaders'', he explained.
``Several Opposition leaders like me have been nurtured in the Congress during our political careers. There are many repsectable leaders in the Congress. But the slogan `Mahatma Gandhi then,Sonia Gandhi now' is in bad taste,'' he pointed out.
However, Hegde was a little disturbed when he was questioned about how he could project his secular outlook after the alliance with BJP. When his attention was drawn on Vajpayee's remark that RSS was BJP's soul, a visibly upset Hegde replied, ``My Muslim brethren have known my credentials. I do not want to identify myself as the leader of particular community for political reasons and for short -- time gains. ,'' he said pointing out that he had only a poll alliance with that party.
He did not reply as how many of Janata Dal legislators and ministers were preparing to join him. ``It is better you ask them,'' he retorted to the query.
``I have no enemies in Janata Dal and I have cordial relatioship with all in that party including Chief Minister J H Patel. I have left it to their choice when they should join me,'' he added.
Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.
