HDD had expressed desire to join Congress twice, reveals ex-Congress leader

Bengaluru: In a sensational claim former Chief Minister SM Krishna revealed that Former Prime Minister and JDS supremo HD Deve Gowda had twice expressed his desire to join the Congress Party.

Smruthivahini, a memoir of SM Krishna as told to Dr Pavagada Prakash Rao. and narration by Dr KR Kamalesh is published by Krishna Patha, which is yet to be released, revealed that Deve Gowda, much before he became prime minister in 1996, wanted to join the Congress party.

Ex-Congressmen Krishna, in his book that is to be released in Bengaluru, also revealed that during the Emergency, after he came out of jail on parole, Gowda had visited his residence and told him that he was upset with the lack of unity in the opposition and wanted to join the Congress.

He further expressed, “I told Gowda that he had made serious allegations against Chief Minister Devaraj Urs and had even stated that he would take political sanyas if he failed to prove those charges. What will be his image if he joins Congress at such a juncture… Gowda kept quiet for some time and told me that there is truth in what I am saying and he will not take any decision in haste.”

Again in early 1980, Gowda had expressed his desire to join the Congress after Charan Singh resigned as PM. Deve Gowda, SR Bommai, Pranab Mukherjee and I had held a discussion in Delhi. Mukherjee asked Gowda and Bommai if he can report the development to Indira Gandhi. They agreed and told us they will come back after consulting their close associates. Had they planned well, like Veerendra Patil, Gowda and Bommai would have joined the Congress at that time,” he said.