29 Jan : Former Prime Minister and Janata Dal (Secular) leader H D Deve Gowda met Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday for discussions on key issues.
PM Modi posted on X, saying, “Had an excellent meeting with Shri H.D. Deve Gowda Ji. His insights on key issues are noteworthy. Equally admirable is his passion for India’s development.”
The PMO also shared a post in Kannada. The meeting gained attention across Karnataka’s political circles.
The engagement coincided with a massive rally in Hassan organised by Deve Gowda and his son, Union Minister H D Kumaraswamy.
They urged the public to vote out the Congress-led government in the upcoming Assembly election.
Hassan Development Projects Planned
Deve Gowda criticised the Congress government last Saturday during the JD(S) silver jubilee event. He accused it of targeting his family politically and warned, ‘Our time will come’.
The meeting gained further significance as Kumaraswamy acknowledged public backing for his potential Chief Minister candidacy in 2028, while stressing his priority is steering Karnataka in the right direction. He noted he has served twice as Chief Minister.
Deve Gowda mocked Congress leader Rahul Gandhi over repeated allegations of vote theft, highlighting that such claims yielded only six seats in Bihar’s Assembly polls.
He asserted that opponents had held two conventions to undermine JD(S).
Deve Gowda said he will invite PM Modi and 18 NDA MPs to Hassan, oversee the IIT project, and inaugurate the airport. He added that the rally sent a clear message that JD(S) remains ‘alive and kicking’.
Referring to MLA H D Revanna, Deve Gowda alleged the police targeted him to stall development work. He claimed state authorities rewarded SIT officers who allegedly attempted to harm Revanna and his family.
At 93, Deve Gowda reflected on his political journey, saying, “My soul is clean, and I am not dependent on anyone’s mercy. Despite past defeats and cases against me, the people supported me and elected me to the Lok Sabha in 1991.”
