Mysore : Former Prime Minister and JD(S) Supremo H D Deve Gowda alleged the BJP was spending Rs 300 crore to ‘artificially’ project its PM candidate Narendra Modi and the money came from the corporates that unduly benefited from the Gujarat government.

Speaking at the meet-the-press programme organised by Mysore District Journalists’ Association, Mr Gowda said the ‘Modi wave’ was created and common people had no ‘knowledge’ about it.

‘BJP should not forget that the voters in the country have different perspective and always vote against what big political parties think. In Karnataka too, you will witness a different result after April 17 polling, other than what the Congress and the BJP is hoping for,’ he claimed.

He said, “Godhra Riots in 2002 occurred just when Mr Modi was taking oath after winning the by-polls. When he visited as chairman of a parliamentary team, Mr Modi did not even bother to provide even bare minimum security in the troubled state.”

Mr Gowda expressed confidence that regional parties would show their real strength in the Lok Sabha polls this time and the Third Front will be the only force that can form the next government at the Centre.

Refusing to accept that JD(S) had weakened in Karnataka, Mr Gowda said, “response at various conventions organised by the party recently in the state had renewed the confidence of party workers who were disheartened by the defeat suffered by the party during by-elections to Mandya and Bangalore Rural LS constituencies last year.”

He said, “the top brass of Congress was now regretting of accommodating chief minister Siddaramaiah, who trained under him in JD(S), as he had become violent and arrogant recently. ‘What can I say for those senior Congress leaders who are sidelined in Karnataka ahead of Mr Siddaramaiah. It was a mistake on part of the party.”