BENGALURU: Days after having said he “respected” former PM Deve Gowda and attacking Congress chief Rahul Gandhi for “insulting” the veteran leader, PM Narendra Modi on Saturday flipped the “B team” charge on Congress, alleging that it had a behind-the-curtain deal with Janata Dal (S). Addressing an election rally in Tumakuru, Modi said JD (S) had been trying to “save” Congress in the state and both have an internal arrangement.

“They are only fooling the people. While Congress and JD(S) fight here in Tumakuru, their leaders in Bengaluru have made a pact (in Bengaluru corporation) and elected a mayor.” The PM, however, maintained he held Gowda in high esteem even though JD(S) leader had said that he will commit suicide if “Modi became PM”.

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But at the same time, Modi sharpened his attack on Congress, saying “It is high time Congress stops uttering lies and makes it clear to the people of Tumakuru and Karnataka on their alliance with JD(S). This drama should stop.” The political thrust behind Modi’s reference on Saturday seemed to be intended at pitching BJP as the only viable alternative to voters disenchanted with Congress.

At the same time, by keeping his comments on Gowda mild, he looked to signal to JD (S) supporters like the influential Vokkaligas to consider BJP as an option where their party of preference is not a strong contender. Gowda’s comments about Modi’s oratory being sharper than BJP stalwart Atal Bihari Vajpayee and his revelation that the PM persuaded him to stay on as a Lok Sabha MP had also signaled a lack of hostility.

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Gowda has thereafter said JD (S) will support neither Congress nor BJP in a hung house. In criticising Rahul for referring to JD(S) disparagingly, Modi may have sought to invoke memories of state leaders being humbled by Congress bigwigs like in the case of Andhra Pradesh CM T Anjaiah at the hands of Rajiv Gandhi . It was the third time that Modi invoked JD(S) in his rallies.

He had addressed three rallies each on Tuesday and Thursday. While he had praised Gowda on his first day in the state, raising speculations of a JD(S) and BJP tie-up, he asked Bengalureans not to vote for the party on the second day. Modi was back to attacking the JD(S) at his first rally of his third day of campaigning in Tumakuru, which is considered a bastion of Deve Gowda’s party.

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“Why are you hiding the tie-up with JD(S) in Bengaluru? If you have the guts you should speak the truth,” Modi told Congress. The PM, however, downplayed the role of JD(S) in the polls.

“All election surveys, including those by neutral agencies, have put JD(S) in the third position. That party cannot change the government. It is only the BJP that can change the government,” he asserted. However, Modi did not attack Gowda harshly.

In fact he said: “During previous elections, Gowda had said he would commit suicide if Modi won and formed the government. It was a tough battle and he opposed us. Despite knowing his stand, we came here and told him that we have great respect for him and that he should continue to live for 100 years.” He also took a dig at Rahul Gandhi for his ‘potato-togold’ comment.

