DV Sadananda Gowda will stay back in BJP, work for its 'purification'

Senior BJP leader DV Sadananda Gowda announced retirement from electoral politics for a second time in six months while declaring that he would not join the Congress.

He, however, confirmed that he got an invitation from the Congress leaders. Gowda, a former CM and Union Minister, launched a veiled attack on BJP Parliamentary Board member DV Sadananda Gowda and his son, state unit president BY Vijayendra and said he would remain within the party and work towards cleansing it up after the Lok Sabha polls were over.

The State BJP was being run in a way Prime Minister Narendra Modi always spoke against. The BJP state unit was being controlled by people who promoted their family and their own caste members. A number of people wanted this changed. He would like to see a BJP that was free of family influence, caste and corruption that people desire. He would take the lead in purifying the party and make people responsible for the present situation repent for their actions, Gowda said.


Gowda, who represented Bengaluru North for two terms, was denied a ticket this time. He was replaced by MoS Shobha Karandlaje after she faced resistance from partymen in Udupi-Chikmagalur. Gowda, however, said he would work for the success of Karandlaje.

Earlier this week, Vokkaligara Sangha, a large association of his community members, held a meeting in Bengaluru, and pledged its support to Gowda, while accusing the BJP of ignoring the community leaders in the distribution of tickets.