Mandya, 9 June

The Congress was attempting to create a divide between the JD(S) and BJP by making “sympathetic” remarks about former prime minister HD Deve Gowda not getting a Rajya Sabha seat, said former chief minister HD Kumaraswamy on Tuesday.

Congress leaders had accused the BJP of denying Deve Gowda a Rajya Sabha seat by fielding Prof M Nagaraja as its candidate from Karnataka.

“Everyone knows how they treated Gowda in his 70 years of political life… They are showing sympathy towards Deve Gowda because they are worried about the BJP-JD(S) alliance; they realise what will happen in the 2028 Assembly polls," Kumaraswamy, the JD(S) second-in-command told reporters in the City. "Did JD(S) or Deve Gowda ask for a Rajya Sabha seat?"

The Union Minister noted that the BJP has over 60 MLAs and asked, “What will be the public opinion about Deve Gowda?” if the party demanded a Rajya Sabha seat for him.

Kumaraswamy added that all that the 93-year-old Deve Gowda needs is “good health from god”.

The JD(S) leader also rejected Congress General Secretary Randeep Singh Surjewala's claim that they had ensured Gowda's entry into the Rajya Sabha last time in June 2020. “Where did Congress have the number to put another candidate?"

He credited former chief minister Yediyurappa for fielding Deve Gowda during the polls.

Kumaraswamy also blamed the Congress for the collapse of the coalition government in 2019.

Asked whether he will be the CM if the BJP-JD(S) coalition government comes to power in Karnataka in 2028, Kumaraswamy said, "More than becoming the CM, I want to save my people. So the coalition needs to be strengthened, that's my priority".