Won't leave BJP, Narayana Gowda assures Shah

Amid buzz that Sericulture Minister K C Narayana Gowda may join Congress, the KR Pet MLA met Union Home Minister Amit Shah here on Thursday and learnt to have assured the latter that he would continue in the BJP.

Shah had summoned Gowda to the national capital and closeted with the legislator for more than 20 minutes, sources in the BJP said.

During the meeting, Shah requested him not to quit the BJP and assured him to address his grievances.

Gowda also promised Shah that he would continue in the BJP, sources close to him told DH. Though Gowda refused to talk to the media, a statement from his office said that the minister and the Union Home minister discussed winning maximum seats in Mandya district.

On Wednesday, Gowda met former Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa and held a discussion in Bengaluru.

Earlier, there was speculation that Gowda might join Congress and contest from the same constituency in the upcoming polls.

Gowda, who was elected on JD(S) ticket in 2018 polls, quit the party in 2019 under operation lotus and joined BJP and became the minister. In the subsequent by-elections, he won on the BJP ticket.