Following the recent Cabinet reshuffle, former ministers V. Srinivas Prasad and Satish Jarkiholi met Janata Dal (Secular) president and former Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda.
Mr. Gowda, who was speaking to reporters here on Friday, said there was “nothing to infer” from the meeting and added that he did not invite them to join the JD(S). “Mr. Prasad said he wouldn’t join any other party and would continue with the Congress,” he said.
He also claimed that Mr. Jarkiholi had extended “all possible support” to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah when he (Mr. Siddaramaiah) was in the JD(S). He had even given vehicles to Mr. Siddaramaiah, his wife and son in the past. “However, off late, the relationship between them is strained,” he added.
On allegations of certain leaders within the JD(S) that he had not given a free hand to the party state president H.D. Kumarswamy to take organisational decisions, he shot back saying: “Am I aspiring for chief minister's post?”
Former minister and senior party leader Basavaraj Horatti, who created a record by winning legislative council elections for the seventh consecutive time, had declined to serve as Chairman of the Legislative Council, Mr. Gowda said and added that Mr. Horatti expressed his desire to remain in active politics.
The party, in recognition of Mr. Horatti’s feat, which could enter Guinness Book of Records has decided to felicitate him at a public function at Hubballi on June 30, he said.
