The Hindu : Karnataka News : Deshpande to Deve Gowda's defence

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Dec 24, 2004

Karnataka

Karnataka

Deshpande to Deve Gowda's defence

By Our Special Correspondent

BANGALORE, DEC. 23. Within days of hitting out at the Janata Dal (Secular) President and former Prime Minister, H.D. Deve Gowda, the Minister for Cooperation, R.V. Deshpande, today went to his defence and refuted reports that he had campaigned against him at the AICC level to prevent him from becoming a Minister.

Participating in a meet-the-press programme organised by the Press Club of Bangalore here, Mr. Deshpande also dismissed reports that he canvassed his case for ministership with the AICC leaders. He has been in politics for the past 35 years and was the Minister for Industries in the J.H. Patel and S.M. Krishna governments, Mr. Deshpande said. Though he never aspired for power, he became a Minister in 1985. He had been elected to the Legislative Assembly six times consecutively from Haliyal constituency in Uttara Kannada district.

Stating that that there is no alternative to the Congress in the State and national politics, Mr. Deshpande said that only the Congress can protect the secular fabric of the country.

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