Bengaluru, Mar 21 (UNI) While expressing disappointment over being denied a ticket to contest from Bengaluru North Lok Sabha seat, BJP leader and former Karnataka Chief Minister DV Sadananda Gowda on Thursday asserted that he would not join the Congress despite being invited to do so.

Addressing a press conference here, Gowda said, "I am upset with BJP as the election ticket (from Bengaluru North seat) has been given to someone else in my place. Yes, I was invited to join the Congress party, but I will not join the Congress party."
Earlier, Gowda had said he would share his inner feelings as reports of his quitting the BJP to contest parliamentary election on Congress ticket was doing the rounds.
"It is true that I have been contacted by others, it is also true that our party leaders also contacted and discussed with me. Last night a predominant office-bearer of our party came to me and tried to pacify me. Various things are happening," Gowda, a former state BJP President, said in response to a question.
The former CM, however, backed Prime Minister Narendra Modi for another term. "Narendra Modi should become Prime Minister again," Gowda stated.
Gowda, who won the Lok Sabha poll from Bengaluru North in 2014 and 2019, was the Chief Minister of Karnataka from August 2011 to May 2013. He had also served as a Union Minister in the previous PM Modi government.
The 71-year-old former Union Minister, who celebrated his birthday on March 19, expressed his displeasure over being denied the ticket to contest from Bangalore North. “There is nothing left to say that BJP is a party with a difference in Karnataka".
Gowda had earlier announced his decision to retire from electoral politics but later backtracked, saying there was pressure on him to contest the election again.
Meanwhile, BJP's Shobha Karandlaje, who has been shifted from Udupi Chikmagalur to contest from Bangalore North, met Gowda and greeted him on his birthday.
She had expressed confidence in her party's strength and dismissed the Congress' attempts to court Gowda.
She characteriSed the Congress as "frustrated and confused" without suitable candidates and downplayed their efforts to reach out to Gowda.
Karandlaje highlighted Gowda's stature as a former Chief Minister and emphasised his loyalty to the BJP.
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