New Delhi, Feb. 8 -- Former Prime Minister and Janata Dal (Secular) supremo HD Deve Gowda, speaking in Rajya Sabha on Thursday, alleged that the idea of Mallikarjun Kharge leading the INDIA alliance was countered by the Congress chief's "own friends."

Gowda said that the same thing had happened when Kharge's name was being considered for the Prime Ministerial post.

"Kharge Ji you are a person, who is clean, and who worked for nearly 35 to 40 years. But what has happened, when somebody referred your name to become the Prime Minister, or, to become the leader of the INDIA (bloc) that has been countered by their own friends," Gowda said in Rajya Sabha.

As per sources, during the fourth joint meeting of the opposition leaders in the nation...