Deve Gowda says he regrets not completing term as PM

Janata Dal (Secular) supremo H.D. Deve Gowda on Monday said that his only regret was not completing full terms as prime minister of India and chief minister of Karnataka.

Deve Gowda stormed to power in 1994 and served two years as the Chief Minister of Karnataka. He resigned from his post after he became the country’s accidental Prime Minister in 1996.

In an interview with ANI, Deve Gowda said, "Yes, as a chief minister, I have not completed full term. As prime minister, I have not completed the full term. You go through the book written by TSR Subramaniam. In 10 months, all policies were framed. Telecom policy, national highways, Metro policy and how to fund it, Kashmir issue."

He added that during his tenure, he had visited the North-East extensively.

"Northeastern states, no prime minister visited all the seven states; I visited. Show me one communal rift, either in Kashmir or any part of the country. I want the dream, my country should leave peacefully," he said.

When asked whether the country gave due credit to his prime ministership, Deve Gowda added, "The media, first (laughs). No, I am not going to blame because I was not able to cultivate the media because I am (was) worried about the administration. Frequently meeting media, pampering and manoeuvring; I didn’t do that." Gowda spoke with fondness about the Left parties who supported him in steps that he took as Prime Minister but he says that he did not project his achievements as much as he should have. He wasn't clever by half because it is not in his nature to be such, he says. What he could have done, in hindsight, he says is appointed more media savvy people. But with a wave of his hand he dismisses the thought as if it pains him too much to think of the past.

He also ruled out a come back to Parliament in 2019, as he said he had no further political ambitions. Gowda says that his grandson will take the place that he had in national politics. "If I was 75 or 78 then I could have done something now but it is too late." The 84 year old says that he has been betrayed by many of his political friends in the past. He mentions Ramakrishna Hegde several times in the conversation. It remains a regret that he couldn't iron out differences with the other tall leader from Karnataka politics.

In the evening of his life, Gowda recalls many of his colleagues works in the present tense. As if they are still around. But at the end of the sentence .... he sighs and says "they are all gone."