Deve Gowda on Kharge's marriage with Modi quip: Had abusive relation with Congress
India Today
Citing the 2018 Karnataka government formation and the 2019 coalition collapse, Gowda said the Congress "walked away" from the alliance, leaving him with no choice but to seek a more stable partnership.
Former Prime Minister and Janata Dal Secular (JDS) chief HD Deve Gowda on Tuesday hit back at Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge over a light-hearted remark in Parliament, saying he was in a “forced marriage” with the Congress and had to “divorce” it due to an “abusive relationship”.
In a statement posted on X, Gowda referred to Kharge’s comment that he had once been in “love” with the Congress but eventually “married” the BJP. Responding in the same metaphorical tone, the Janata Dal (Secular) leader said, “If I were to respond in the same language of marriage, I would like to say that I was in a ‘forced marriage’ with the Congress but had to ‘divorce’ them because it was an abusive relationship.”
Gowda clarified that he was not present in the House when Kharge made the remark, as he had travelled to Bengaluru for Ugadi celebrations.
Citing past political developments, Gowda pointed to the 2018 Karnataka government formation, when the Congress backed JD(S) leader H. D. Kumaraswamy for the chief minister’s post.
He said senior Congress leaders, including Ghulam Nabi Azad, had proposed Kumaraswamy’s name, a move he claimed he did not agree with. Gowda added that he had suggested Kharge’s name instead in the presence of other leaders, including Siddaramaiah.
However, he said the Congress leadership went ahead with Kumaraswamy, leading to what he described as a strained alliance.
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