End of the road for Deve Gowda?
In the 1996 general elections, when non-Congress and non-BJP parties came together to form a third front, called the United Front, Deve Gowda was approached to be its leader and prime ministerial candidate.
His prime ministership was, however, short-lived and in 1997, under pressure from the Congress led by Sitaram Kesri, Gowda was replaced by I K Gujral.
Even while he was in New Delhi, Gowda ensured that J H Patel, his successor as chief minister, gave Revanna a ministerial berth. In fact, Revanna continued to stay on in the chief minister’s residence while Patel had to find alternative accommodation!
It was also at this time that the Hegde-Gowda rift turned nasty. A month after he became prime minister, Gowda expelled Hegde from the Janata Dal. Hegde then formed the Lok Shakti and entered an alliance with the BJP for the 1998 Lok Sabha elections, winning 16 of 28 seats. The Janata Dal, on the other hand, won just three.
In 1999, simultaneous elections were held to both the Lok Sabha and the state assembly. The Janata Dal split once more, with the J H Patel-led faction supporting the BJP. Hegde's Lok Shakti and scattered factions formed the Janata Dal (United). And Deve Gowda, back on home territory, formed the Janata Dal (Secular), winning eight assembly seats and none in the Lok Sabha.
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