Deve Gowda

This 'humble farmer' from Karnataka, who ruled India for 10 months and 21 days without a single scam is undoubtedly the tallest figure in the state politics, but with a difference.

This 'humble farmer' from Karnataka, who ruled India for 10 months and 21 days without a single scam is undoubtedly the tallest figure in the state politics, but with a difference.

Leader of Janata Dal (Secular), Hardanahalli Doddegowda Deve Gowda's lifestyle and attitude remains as down to earth as before and after becoming the Prime Minister.

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The only change is that he has more or less confined himself to the state politics for more than four years, extensively touring and wooing the warring Janata factions in a bid to forge a unity against the Congress Govt in the state. The buzz has been that his sons have made tons of money, but he rejects that outright.

Although his party is more or less in a shambles, he has been fighting on and on for years, against both the Congress and rival Janata factions. His party had just two MPs in 13th Lok Sabha and only a handful of MLAs, who make little impact. But he is determined.

"Do you think I have been sleeping for four-and-a-half years (in Karnataka) jjst as according to you people (media) I was a sleeping PM," he had told a national daily recently.