Wishes pour in for former PM Deve Gowda on his 87th birthday

Team Udayavani, May 18, 2020, 8:12 PM IST

Bengaluru: Former prime minister and Janata Dal (Secular) supremo H D Deve Gowda turned 87 on Monday as Prime Minister Narendra Modi with Congress leader Rahul Gandhi among others greeting him on the occasion.

The JD(S) patriarch kept his birthday celebrations a low-key affair due to the coronavirus outbreak and the consequent lockdown.

Gowda had three days ago appealed to his followers not to gather to celebrate his birthday as the current situation warranted social distancing and staying at home.

The unprecedented situation also saw Gowda missing out on offering prayers at the famous hill shrine of Lord Venkateswara on his birthday, a routine he had been following for over three decades.

Modi in a tweet said:

Birthday wishes to our former PM Shri @H_D_Devegowda Ji. Praying for his long life and good health.

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) May 18, 2020

ಭಾರತದ ಪ್ರಧಾನಮಂತ್ರಿಗಳಾಗಿ, ಕರ್ನಾಟಕದ ಮುಖ್ಯಮಂತ್ರಿಗಳಾಗಿ ಮಹತ್ವದ ಸೇವೆ ಸಲ್ಲಿಸಿರುವ, ಜನತಾದಳ (ಜಾತ್ಯತೀತ) ಪಕ್ಷದ ರಾಷ್ಟ್ರೀಯ ಅಧ್ಯಕ್ಷರು, ಹಿರಿಯ ರಾಜಕೀಯ ಮುತ್ಸದ್ಧಿ ಸನ್ಮಾನ್ಯ ಶ್ರೀ @H_D_Devegowda ರವರಿಗೆ ಜನ್ಮದಿನದ ಹೃತ್ಪೂರ್ವಕ ಶುಭಕಾಮನೆಗಳು. ದೇವರ ಅನುಗ್ರಹ ತಮ್ಮ ಮೇಲೆ ಸದಾ ಇರಲಿ ಎಂದು ಪ್ರಾರ್ಥಿಸುತ್ತೇನೆ.

— B.S. Yediyurappa (@BSYBJP) May 18, 2020

Rahul Gandhi tweeted:

My best wishes to Shri H D Deve Gowda ji on his birthday. I pray that he be blessed with good health and happiness always. @H_D_Devegowda

— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) May 18, 2020

Former chief minister and Congress legislature party Leader in the state Siddaramaiah too took to Twitter to greet Gowda.

Best birthday wishes to Shri. @H_D_Devegowda. Wishing him good health & long life. pic.twitter.com/cwDFWvxU4Z

— Siddaramaiah (@siddaramaiah) May 18, 2020

Gowda had served as the 11th Prime Minister of the country from June 1, 1996 to April 21, 1997.

He was also a former chief minister of Karnataka.