Former Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda of the Janata Dal (Secular) said on Friday that those who expected him to sit at home after his electoral loss in the recent Lok Sabha elections were mistaken as he was scripting a comeback.

This was the 86-year-old’s first speech after his loss in the Tumakuru constituency in the recent Lok Sabha polls.

The JDS fought the general elections in alliance with Congress, its ruling coalition partner in the state, but won only one of the seven seats it contested.

Deve Gowda told workers that his was not a dynastic party, and those who were not committed to its cause could quit. He said that he would rebuild the party with the help of supporters.

“This is not father-son party. No matter who quits, there is no question of getting scared. Those who are committed to the party can stay back. I have nothing to do in Delhi,” Deve Gowda told party workers at a convention.

Gowda expressed hope that farmers would come to his party’s support. “I have one request, be they Lingayat, Kuruba, Vokkaliga or anybody, remain committed to the party,” he said.

Both of Gowda’s grandsons contested the elections. Gowda’s sons, HD Kumaraswamy and HD Revanna are the chief minister and public works minister respectively.

His daughter-in-law Anitha Kumaraswamy is a legislator from Ramanagara.

First Published: Jun 08, 2019 00:46 IST