Sadananda Gowda announces retirement from electoral politics

Former Chief Minister and Lok Sabha member D.V. Sadananda Gowda has announced his retirement from electoral politics.

Former Chief Minister and Lok Sabha member D.V. Sadananda Gowda has announced his retirement from electoral politics.

Speaking to presspersons in Hassan on Wednesday, he said: “I have decided not to continue in electoral politics.” He said he had been given enough opportunities by the party. “My party has given me everything. Besides B.S. Yediyurappa, I am the number one beneficiary of the party,” he said.

For some months now, there have been rumours that Mr. Gowda might not get BJP ticket to contest the elections in 2024. With the JD(S) and the BJP forming an alliance, the rumour that he might be overlooked has got stronger.

Mr. Gowda said he had been an MLA for 10 years and an MP for 20 years. “I was Chief Minister for a year, Leader of Opposition for one-and-a-half-year, Deputy Leader of Opposition for five years, worked as State president of the party for four-and-a-half-year, and had the opportunity to serve the country as Minister in the Narendra Modi-led Cabinet for seven years. If a politician is not satisfied with all these opportunities, he is selfish,” he said.

Mr. Gowda served as the Chief Minister of Karnataka from August 2011 to July 2012, following the resignation of his mentor Mr. Yediyurappa in an illegal mining case. He was replaced by Jagadish Shettar. He has served as Union Minister for Railways, Chemicals and Fertilisers, Law and Justice and Statistics and Programme Implementation.

Replying to a question, Mr. Gowda said that in every political party, there would be at least 10% of people ready to jump to another party for power. “If the BJP comes to power, they will jump to the BJP. And if Congress comes to power, they will again jump to Congress. Such people are in all parties, including the BJP,” he said.