Hassan, May 30 (Deccan Chronicle) : With a weak opposition at the Centre, efforts are on to unite all regional parties under the leadership of Congress president, Sonia Gandhi, according to Janata Dal (S) supremo, H D Deve Gowda.

Speaking to reporters here, he also revealed that he had been contacted by a couple of political parties on the election of the next President of the country, but had refused to take part in the race for the post.

“There are other leaders, who are capable of holding the President’s post. I am happy building the JDS in the state and have no interest in Delhi politics,” he said.

Referring toNarendra Modi’s completion of three years as Prime Minister, Mr Gowda was at his sarcastic best. “I don’t know whether the Centre has come out with the ban on cow slaughter to mark the completion of his three years although beef is exported in huge quantities and the business runs into crores in his native place of Gujarat,” he remarked.

Maintaining that the ban would only create problems in the country,he wanted to know what farmers were supposed to do with their weak cattle now that they could not slaughter them. Also hitting out at the wide publicity Mr Modi’s three year anniversary was receiving in about 900 cities across the country, he said, “I have never seen such huge publicity for any Prime Minister in the past.”

The JDS veteran, however, refused to comment on Bihar Chief Minister, Nitish Kumar’s meeting with Mr Modi. He later went on to take on the judiciary, which he claimed had not proved to be effective in its role in the country.