Deve Gowda hints at not contesting Lok Sabha polls
New Delhi : Indicating that he may not contest the upcoming parliamentary election, former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda said Friday that he expects to be given sufficient time to deliver probably his last speech in Parliament next week when the House takes up discussion on the interim budget.
The 85-year-old JD(S) chief also expressed anguish that he was not given enough time to speak in Lok Sabha during the debate on motion of thanks to the President's address on February 7 despite a request made to Speaker Sumitra Mahajan.
Gowda said he would even request the Congress party to give some of its allotted time in the Lower House to him to complete his last speech.
"I am disappointed. I am not satisfied (with my speech on the President's address). Barely I had spoken for six minutes, the Speaker cautioned me to finish my speech. Still, I spoke for some more time but I was not satisfied," Gowda told reporters.
The JD(S) leader said that he had specially requested the Speaker to give him an opportunity to speak during the debate on the interim budget and motion of thanks on the President' Address as it might be his last speech in Parliament.
"I have never criticised anyone personally. I sought time to speak not to criticise anyone. I have governed the country for 320 days and people of this country do not know what I did. The sole intention was to share what I did when I was Prime Minister because I have may not come to Parliament again," he added.
Gowda, who led a coalition government for 10 months between 1996-97, hoped to get sufficient time on Monday to speak during the debate on the interim budget.
"I will request Congress leaders to give their time to me. Let's see if they will give," he said, adding that this could be his last speech in Parliament.
It may be noted that the former prime minister's grandsons are vying for party ticket to contest the Lok Sabha polls from Hassan, currently represented by him.
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Metro ridership in Haryana sees over 13 pc rise in 2025-26
Chandigarh (PTI): Haryana's urban transit system witnessed a strong growth in 2025-26, with metro ridership registering a robust 13.55 per cent increase, the state government said in a statement on Thursday.
The progress was reviewed in the 64th board meeting of Haryana Mass Rapid Transport Corporation (HMRTC) chaired by Chief Secretary Anurag Rastogi.
Between April 2025 and February 2026, the metro network recorded over 1.74 crore passengers, compared to 1.53 crore in the corresponding period the previous year.
July recorded the highest monthly growth at 22.93 per cent, while all months showed consistent positive trends.
Financial performance has also remained strong, with fare revenue rising 12.64 per cent till January 2026, the statement said.
Non-fare revenue surged by 108 per cent, driven by effective monetisation of station spaces, advertisements and commercial activities, resulting in an operating surplus for Rapid Metro.
Further initiatives, including the auction of station naming rights and additional advertisement sites, are expected to strengthen HMRTC's financial position, the statement said.
Appreciating the performance, Rastogi stated that the consistent rise in ridership and revenue reflects the success of Haryana's integrated transport strategy, rising commuter confidence and a clear shift towards public transport.
HMRTC Managing Director Chander Shekhar Khare said that, alongside operational gains, the state is making steady progress on an ambitious pipeline of metro and regional transit projects.
Metro connectivity from Gurugram Sector 56 to Panchgaon is under active consideration, with Haryana State Industrial and Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited studying the Detailed Project Report (DPR) and layout plan, and finalising a depot location in Sector 36A near Sihi village, he said.
The Gurugram-Faridabad Namo Bharat corridor has achieved a key milestone, with alignment and station locations finalised and approved by the Haryana government. The National Capital Region Transport Corporation is preparing the DPR, he added.
Similarly, the Delhi-Kundli metro extension is proposed to be placed before the Haryana Cabinet for approval.
The 136.3-kilometre Delhi-Panipat-Karnal RRTS Corridor has also progressed, with the revised DPR submitted for financial concurrence ahead of Haryana Cabinet consideration.
Within Gurugram, DPR preparation has been approved for key intra-city corridors, including the 17.09-kilometre Bhondsi-Subhash Chowk-Rajeev Chowk-Sohna Chowk Railway Station corridor, enhancing connectivity along Sohna Road, Khare said.
