This story is from April 27, 2016

Gowda: SMK's barbs got state govt to act

Gowda said if it was not for Krishna, who took up the farmers suicide issue and now drought, the state government would not have taken the matter seriously.
Gowda: SMK's barbs got state govt to act
Mysuru: It was one of those rare occasions where two Vokkaliga leaders -- former PM H D Deve Gowda and former chief minister S M Krishna -- shared the dais and both seized the opportunity to recall old times and heap praises on each other.
Gowda said if it was not for Krishna, who took up the farmers suicide issue and now drought, the state government would not have taken the matter seriously.
Criticizing chief minister Siddaramaiah for the manner the relief measures were being taken up against drought, the former PM said Krishna was the first Congress leader to speak out against the way the drought relief measures were being tackled.
Speaking after inaugurating a community hall built by Vokkaligara Sangha at KR Nagar in Mysuru district on Tuesday, the former PM said: "Krishna castigated the state government on its handling of drought, prompting the chief minister to focus on it. At this hour of crisis, he should lead from the front." Gowda said Krishna too, like him, endured pain in his political career, "but both of us emerged stronger every time".
Speaking on the occasion, Krishna said that he is friend with Gowda for five decades as both of them were elected to the assembly during 1962 elections from Maddur and Holenarsipur constituencies, respectively. "Though we have been in the same House, we didn't sit on the same side," he said, referring to the different parties they were elected from, because of which they sat either on treasury or opposition benches. Krishna said that it is matter of pride for Kannadaigas that Gowda became the Prime Minister. "But he didn't change even after occupying the country's highest authority," he said, and recollected that Gowda had offered him holige when he became the PM. We savoured it together at 7, Race Course Road, in Delhi, he added.
Former chief minister H D Kumaraswamy said the government has failed in tackling drought, and leaders like Gowda and Krishna should put their heads together and find a solution.
Adichunchanagiri Mutt seer Nirmalanandanath Swami, former deputy CM R Ashoka and deputy chairman of the council, Marithibbegowda, were present.
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