In a notable gathering in the national capital today, Prime Minister Narendra Modi convened with former Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda, accompanied by Janata Dal (Secular) Karnataka leader HD Kumaraswamy and MLA HD Revanna. PM Modi commended the former Prime Minister for his remarkable contributions to the nation’s progress.
Expressing his pleasure about the meeting on X, the Prime Minister stated, “Always a delight to meet former PM HD Deve Gowda Ji, HD Kumaraswamy ji, and HD Revanna Ji.” He went on to highlight Deve Gowda Ji’s noteworthy contributions, describing his insights on diverse policy matters as both insightful and futuristic.
Responding to the meeting, HD Kumaraswamy expressed gratitude to PM Modi and acknowledged the strong bond between them. He shared his appreciation for the warmth, trust, and affection shown by the honorable Prime Minister during the memorable meeting at the Prime Minister’s office in the Parliament House. Kumaraswamy mentioned that former minister HD Revanna, former MP Kupendra Reddy, MP Prajwal Revanna, and MLA CN Balakrishna were also present at the meeting.
This gathering holds significance, occurring just days after Deve Gowda had an unexpected meeting with Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge on December 15. Notably, the Janata Dal (Secular), led by former Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda, announced an alliance with the BJP in Karnataka on September 22, formally joining the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) in preparation for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.
The alliance was characterized by the Congress as a survival strategy for the JD(S). Karnataka Minister Priyank Kharge remarked, “JDS has virtually no existence left in Karnataka post the elections and is battling to survive. They made an alliance with the BJP. They’re in it together and they’re doing whatever they can to ensure that they stay afloat as a party.”
The JD(S) had declared the alliance following its poor performance in the Assembly elections earlier in the year, where the party’s seat count dropped from 37 to 19. The alliance was formalized after the dismal showing in the 2019 Lok Sabha Polls, with only one victory from Karnataka’s Hassan constituency.
