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

Published 9 June 2026 · local

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

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. 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. 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 Vokkaliga, Mr. Kumaraswamy remarked: “What is the need for a Rajya Sabha seat when Karnataka has a Vokkaliga Chief Minister? Let us wait for two months and see what happens”. ‘Crocodile tears’ Meanwhile, launching a counter-attack at the Congress for terming Mr. Deve Gowda not getting to contest the Rajya Sabha polls as the BJP heaping humiliation on the nonagenarian leader, BJP State president B.Y. Vijayendra asked the Congress to desist from “shedding crocodile tears” over Mr. Gowda.

He also accused the Congress of trying to drive a wedge between the BJP and JD(S). “It is the Congress that haunted Mr. Deve Gowda throughout his political career and tried to divide his party. It is really a joke that after all these, the Congress leaders are showing artificial concern towards Mr. Deve Gowda,” he said.