Bengaluru: Former Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda on Monday condoled the untimely demise of Rakesh Siddaramaiah.

In a press release, he said that he is saddened by the news of Rakesh’s demise.

He had conveyed his condolence message to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah through a letter and told that he will speak to him over phone the next day. He also expressed his grief for not being able to participate in the funeral as he had fallen sick.

“Let Siddaramaiah take former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi as a role model at this time of grief, as how she handled the situation when her son Sanjay Gandhi died in a plane crash,” he advised.

Deve Gowda is expected to meet Siddaramaiah in a couple of days. It’s a known fact that Siddaramaiah was once a blue eyed person for Deve Gowda. He used to consider Deve Gowda as his political guru. Both parted ways later due to differences.

With this back drop, DeveGowda’s condolences gained importance as he had not spoken anything even after the news of Rakesh’s death.

Rakesh too considered him as a fatherly personality and used call him as “Appaji” (father), Rakesh’s close associate said.