Deve Gowda had never sought Rajya Sabha seat, says Union Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy

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Union Minister for Heavy Industries and Steel H.D. Kumaraswamy has said the Congress leaders were making unnecessary statements regarding the Rajya Sabha ticket issue and displaying unwarranted sympathy towards former Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda. | Photo Credit: file photo

Janata Dal (Secular) leader and Union Minister for Heavy Industries and Steel H.D. Kumaraswamy has clarified that former Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda never asked their alliance partner, the Bharatiya Janata Party, for ticket to contest the Rajya Sabha elections.

Fielding queries during an interaction at Thaggahalli village in Srirangapatna, Mr. Kumaraswamy said the Congress leaders were making unnecessary statements regarding the Rajya Sabha ticket issue and displaying unwarranted sympathy towards Mr. Deve Gowda.

“Did Mr. Deve Gowda ask for it (Rajya Sabha seat)?” he asked, while pointing out that the BJP had 60 MLAs and the JD(S) is not concerned about it.

Mr. Kumaraswamy, however, slammed the Congress for attempting to create a divide between the alliance partners by its “sudden sympathy” for the former Prime Minister.

Referring to observations in certain quarters that Mr. Deve Gowda could have raised a voice for Karnataka if he were sent to the Rajya Sabha, Mr. Kumaraswamy said he does not need to be in power to raise his voice. “His voice will be heard even if he is not in power,” he remarked.

“Mr. Deve Gowda is a fighter. He has never craved power. When his self-respect was hurt, he even gave up the post of Prime Minister. Does the Congress not know this?” he asked.

Mr. Kumaraswamy also sought to clarify that Mr. Deve Gowda had not entered the Rajya Sabha during the previous elections because of the Congress’s support.

“No party then had sufficient strength to field and elect its own candidate against him. Our party had the required numbers, and that is how Mr. Deve Gowda was elected to the Rajya Sabha,” he said.

Reacting to observation in certain quarters about the loss of a seat for a Vokka