Outgoing chief minister D V Sadananda Gowda said on Sunday regretted that the politics in the State was taking a caste colour.
Speaking to reporters after submitting his resignation to BJP national president Nitin Gadkari, he said caste politics, which was earlier restricted to North Indian states like Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, was now spreading its wings in the State too.
“This is unfortunate and will not last long,” he said.
However, Gowda said, caste may be just one of the reasons for the political impasse in the State. He dismissed suggestions that he was a victim of caste politics.
To a question whether the party betrayed him by removing him, despite giving corruption-free governance, he said “The party has given me more than I expected. I was made an MLA, MP, State party president and now the chief minister. What else can I expect?”
“Several leaders like L K Advani and Nitin Gadkari have praised me for giving corruption-free administration,” he said.
He said the party leaders had removed him after considering various factors. Caste is not the only factor for selecting a new leader, he said. When asked what the actual reasons were, he said “you have to ask the party high command for this.”
When questioned whether his political guru Yeddyurappa ditched him, he said: “I had many gurus at various stages. As I come from RSS background, it is my first guru. I am always loyal to RSS as it brought me to this level.”
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