Prime ministerial candidate of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Narendra Modi has invited former prime minister and Janata Dal (Secular) party president HD Deve Gowda to Gujarat to take refuge. Modi's invitation to Gowda came at an election rally in Chikkaballapur near Bangalore on 13 April 2014.
Modi also addressed another election rally at Chimmagalur in Karnataka on the same day.
Modi's invitation to Gowda comes in the wake of latter's challenge that if Modi gets the BJP-led NDA alliance the required majority numbers to form the next government and becomes the prime minister, he (Gowda) swore that he will retire from politics permanently and leave his home state Karnataka.
Modi invited Gowda to Gujarat to live there, implying that he (Modi) will surely become the next prime minister, forcing Gowda to leave Karnataka to fulfill his vow to take political sanyas.
"Deve Gowdaji, you are an elderly person. You are the former PM of India. I am like your son...," Narendra Modi said addressing Gowda from the dais of the poll rally.
"I publicly promise you that if staying here has become a problem, then I pray - you don't worry. I will make all arrangements for you in Gujarat. If you want to live in an old-age home, live in a house, farm-house or if you want to live in my house, I would render service more than your son. Narendra Modi will do everything to give you respect and honour. Deve Gowdaji I welcome you and think you also have a son even in Gujarat who is ready to render services for you," Deccan Herald quoted Modi.
It can be recalled here that Gowda's party JDS formed a government in Karnataka in February 2006 in alliance with BJP and his son Kumaraswamy became the coalition's first chief minister.
Modi also attacked Gowda on dynastic politics, where even in political parties, a family members occupy prime posts, depriving others.
