BENGALURU: Former Prime Minister and JDS supremo HD Deve Gowda built his political capital fighting the Congress party. However, it has now emerged that much before he became prime minister in 1996 with Congress support, Gowda wanted to join the Grand Old 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.
In his book that is to be released in Bengaluru on January 4, former Chief Minister SM Krishna revealed that Gowda had twice expressed his desire to join the Congress. Veteran Congress leader Krishna joined the BJP in 2017.“During the Emergency, after he came out of jail on parole, Gowda came to my residence. He told me that he was upset with the lack of unity in the opposition and wanted to join the Congress,” stated Krishna, who was state industries minister at that time.
“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,” the former CM stated.
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.”
Krishna spoke to Veerappan
In the book, the former CM recollects how he spent sleepless nights when Dr Rajkumar was abducted by Veerappan in 2000. Krishna says they had held several rounds of talks with then Tamil Nadu CM M Karunanidhi, Nakkeeran’s Gopal, a journalist, and several others to ensure Rajkumar’s safe release. “One day, when I was playing tennis, Raghavendra Shastri, who was with me, got a call on his mobile. Veerappan was on the other side. I spoke to him and asked him to release Rajkumar. He said Rajkumar will be released only if his demands are met or he will kill him. I asked him for more time,” Krishna stated.
Veerappan had placed several conditions, including Rs 50 crore in cash and release of his associates lodged in Bengaluru prison. Rubbishing allegations that the government had paid a ransom, Krishna says that Dr Shubha, who had treated Veerappan, had established contact with him and also helped get Rajkumar released. Krishna said he had filed a case against the former DGP, who had stated that Krishna had sent money to Veerappan through his son-in-law.
Krishna recalled an interesting development around that time Rajkumar was abducted. “...a Marwari businessman was kidnapped in Bengaluru. It became big news and at night, I got a call from Sonia Gandhi. She expressed displeasure about the law and order situation. She thought the businessman was kidnapped by Veerappan. He was rescued in two days and I informed Sonia Gandhi,” Krishna said.