30 days was all Sadananda Gowda wanted, but...

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Outgoing Karnataka Chief Minister Sadananda Gowda, reportedly asked BJP leaders L.K. Advani, Arun Jaitley and Sushma Swaraj that he should be given an opportunity to continue in office till he completes his first year in office on August 4.

Sources in the party said though Sadananda Gowda was sporting his trade-mark smile during his current trip to New Delhi, and highlighted the fact that he provided corruption- free administration during the last 11 months, he would have preferred to have completed a year in office.

Gowda will meet party president Nitin Gadkari on Sunday in a last-minute effort to convince the latter that he should be allowed to complete a year in office.

“I am not disappointed about losing power. But I hope that with my resignation, all dissident activities will come to an end ahead of next year’s elections.”

In another side swipe at BSY, Gowda lamented that owing to political instability, implementation of drought relief work was patchy. “Due to severe drought, the people are suffering. If some die due to drought, the people will reject BJP,” Gowda warned.

In the game of kabbadi, I'm out: DVS

“I am out.” This was how Sadananda Gowda announced the end to his 11-month tenure as Karnataka chief minister.

Speaking to reporters after meeting party veteran L.K. Advani in New Delhi on Saturday, Gowda could not hide his pain over party’ decision to remove him from the post.

Though the party had sounded him last week on the impending exit, Gowda was pinning his hopes on party veteran L.K. Advani. But with Advani too giving in to pressure from other party leaders, Gowda’s exit was inevitable.

“I have given corruptionfree administration for 11 months. I am satisfied with my administration. I am ready to fully cooperate with Jagadish Shettar. He is a good man and an experienced person. I hope he will deliver good administration,” Mr. Gowda said.

“Politics is like game of kabaddi. One is always waiting to grab the other player’s leg. Today, I have been declared out in the game,” CM said.

“I am not disappointed with losing power. But I hope that with my resignation, all dissident activities in the party will come to an end before the party goes for assembly elections,” he said. “Because of political uncertainty, implementation of drought relief works was affected. I have requested the party to appoint the new chief minister before July 8. Due to severe drought, people are suffering.

People will blame the BJP for any delay in delivering drought-relief measures,” he said. “Allegations that I was leaning towards the JD(S) are baseless,” he said.