TUMAKURU: Forget that old caricaturised image of him — a slouch sleeping off on the job as prime minister over two decades ago. That was as misleading media caricatures can get. Fact is, a twelve-hour workday is just another day in office for HD Deve Gowda, now pushing 86. The ex-PM, in the fray for the Tumkur Lok Sabha seat, proved it yet again on Monday.
Braving the summer heat, which soared to around 35 degrees Celsius on Monday, the Janata Dal (Secular) patriarch left his residence in Bengaluru around 8.30 am and travelled straight to the Omkareshwara temple, at Pattanayakanahalli in Sira taluk, 140 km away. The temple, located in the Gurugunda Brahmeshwara Mutt, is revered by the Kunchitiga subsect of the Vokkaliga community and commands a strong influence among the voters of both Tumakuru and Chitradurga.
The grand old man, accompanied by his son, Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy, took part in five kinds of rituals under the guidance of Dr Narayanacharya, a religious head from Paduvagere in Amrituru village of Kungal. “He never feels tired when he is involved in rituals and is working with people,” Gowda’s long-time associate Tippeswamy, remarked with wonder.
After the two-hour-long session at the temple, Gowda headed to Bukkapatna village, where he addressed a small gathering.
Strategically chosen, because it falls in the Chikkanayakanahalli assembly segment, which was won by BJP leader JC Madhuswamy in 2018. The constituency is a key location as it borders Tiptur, which also has a BJP MLA. Gowda stopped by again on his way back around 8.30 pm and was offered tender coconut by locals as he spent time talking to them.
“I am indebted by this gesture and your welcome. I will try my best to ensure an irrigation project for this region,” he told the villagers. At Bukkapatna earlier, he had lashed out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, calling him a liar who had failed to keep his promises on all fronts.
The senior Gowda’s indomitable spirit and energy did not go unnoticed by those he addressed. “Even at the age of 85, he is active. It is remarkable,” said Omkar, a resident of Pattanayakanahalli village.
On Sunday, Gowda attended a marathon meeting of JD(S) and Congress workers in Bengaluru in the evening where he and Congress president Rahul Gandhi had appealed to workers to jointly campaign for their candidates. On Monday, former Congress minister TB Jayachandra accompanied Gowda as a sign of solidarity.
Gowda took a dig at the PM’s national security narrative. “I want to ask whether our soldiers fought wars barefoot before he came to power?”