D.V. Sadananda Gowda’s exit from the Karnataka chief minister’s post raised several baffling questions including one on where the ever smiling BJP leader would go from here.

The question is still unanswered with all his cabinet colleagues given berths in the Jagadish Shettar ministry and even party state chief K.S. Eshwarappa landing himself the plum post of deputy chief minister thanks to a bit of a helping hand from Gowda. There are some who suspect that the party considers him a ‘hot potato’ and has turned a blind eye to the former CM turned MLC.

However, Mr Gowda remains unperturbed and the ever loyal foot soldier of the BJP, preferring a philosophical reply to a question on whether he was being ignored. He spoke about his future plans in an interview with Deccan Chronicle.

Do you feel that you have aged too fast in a span of 11 months when you were in power?

Not exactly. It was just a 11-month period and nothing more. If you were to ask me about my experiences, I would say it was something worth a lifetime. I experienced everything—love, affection, betrayal, satisfaction, pain.

How would you assess your tenure?

I would prefer to let the public and media scrutinise my performance. I am like a student. I have finished my test paper and now, it is for the evaluator to assess my answer script. I feel I worked to the best of my ability and tried to provide good governance.

Last year, you were associated with former chief minister B.S. Yeddyurappa who proposed your name for the CM’s post while the party backed Jagadish Shettar. Did you join hands with him for the sake of becoming CM?

No. This is wrong. Mr Yeddyurappa and I are very good friends. I was party president when he was deputy chief minister in 2006-07. I guess he was happy with my conduct. I never approached him with personal requests when he was deputy chief minister or later when he became chief minister.

All we discussed when we met were related to the party. He knew I could be trusted because I never interfered in his work. I feel MLAs too had the same opinion and so reposed their confidence in me. Please do not suspect any ulterior motive in my association with him.

He trusted you a lot when he was chief minister?

When the party high command thought of replacing him a couple of times, I stood by him. I was vocal in defending him. I along with many others, tried our best to prevent a change of guard.

You rebelled against the party the day you were to tender your resignation. In hindsight, do you regret this?

I admit it was a mistake. I tendered my apology to party leaders. But it had to happen for two reasons. Many including some of our party leaders in Delhi felt I never enjoyed the support of MLAs. Frankly speaking, I have never believed in faction-based politics which is why I did not encourage groups. On the day I was to resign, there were 56 MLAs at my residence while six others telephoned and pledged their support. You have to assess my strength taking into account the number of MLAs behind me. If you remove the Sreeramulu group, the party strength in the Assembly may come down to 115 or 116.

So, the meeting at my residence was enough to prove that my popularity goes beyond caste and region. More importantly, I held this meeting after I submitted my resignation to party national president, Nitin Gadkari. In effect, I demonstrated my strength after losing power. So, this should not be interpreted as blackmail.

What did you achieve?

I should not say this. But, if I am right, K.S. Eshwarappa got the deputy CM post because of our fight. Except one or two of them, the new faces you see in the cabinet, should thank us for our efforts.

Many who are close to you say Sadananda Gowda is a nice gentleman. But when you were chief minister, you looked agitated and even adopted a negative attitude to the media. Why?

I have complaints against two vernacular newspapers which carried interviews of a gentleman on the front page. Can you imagine a newspaper giving full coverage to an interview on page 1? It was clear the interview was meant to target me. I felt the media could have focused on the achievements of our government.

Some leaders say you failed to take everyone along. Was it because you kept of them away and took unilateral decisions?

No. I consulted core committee members on every decision. On major decisions, I kept my national leaders informed. The RSS, central and state leaders gave me a mandate to provide a corruption-free, transparent and people-friendly government. I focused on doing that. A few ministers did not co-operate with me as I did not oblige them. I turned down the requests of a few MLAs too as they were illegal and unethical. If I had done this, who knows, I would have been allowed to continue in power.

All former CMs say that they would like to contribute to the development of the state. What plans do you have?

I would like to devote myself to bringing about unity in the BJP. I am ready for any sacrifice to achieve this. I will co-operate with my successor (Jagadish Shettar) if need be.

There were doubts that you were influenced by former Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda.

No. When these allegations were made, I discussed them with the high command and BJP core committee members. I told them that those who make such allegations, should provide evidence and I would definitely resign.

But the high command seems determined not to give you any post. Is this a punishment for you?

No. What more can my party give me? They made me a MLA, MP, state unit president, and chief minister.

Your party president Mr Gadkari said DVS had to go because of the caste factor. That proves your party is guided by caste considerations.

I don’t want to react to the statements of our national leaders.

Do you think the BJP would have fared differently in the polls under you and under the leadership of a Lingayat leader (Mr Shettar)?

No comments (smiles). I see things from a different perspective. If we gear up our cadre and put an end to groupism, we can win any election.