Bengaluru: Karnataka Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy said Thursday he will not plead for support with those Congress leaders who are against his son Nikhil Kumaraswamy’s candidature as coalition candidate from Mandya in the Lok Sabha polls.
Taking a dig at those opposing Nikhil, the Karnataka CM said “those who are originally from the Congress have already extended their support and JD(S) workers are efficient to ensure his victory. He also said his father and former Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda was yet to decide on contesting the Lok Sabha polls. “Some leaders in Mandya have gone ahead from the back door. It is not necessary for me to talk to them now.
“My workers are efficient, instead of trusting those backstabbing, trust those who work honestly. I’m not blaming everyone,” Kumaraswamy said in response to a question about him personally seeking support from Mandya Congress leaders.
Kumaraswamy said even now he wanted to tell those leaders that there were no permanent enemies or friends in politics and the Congress had decided to give the seat to the JD(S) in the coalition set up. “With their own adamant behaviour, if they still want to go away with an intention to take revenge, good, they can work anywhere they want,” he added.
The Chief Minister’s sharp reaction came a day after several Congress leaders in Mandya extended their support to independent candidate Sumalatha Ambareesh despite their party denying her a ticket.
The Congress and JD(S), who have been traditional rivals in Mandya, have decided to fight the election together in an alliance this time, and according to the coalition arrangement the seat had gone to the regional party as it had a sitting MP there.
The Congress’ move to cede the seat to JD(S) is being vehemently opposed by leaders in Mandya, with a few even expressing openly their support to Sumalatha, widow of actor-politician Ambareesh. Ambareesh had early won on Congress’ ticket from the constituency.
Both hiselder brother Revanna and nephew Prajwal wanted Gowda to contest from Hassan as this will be his last election, he said. “Gowda wished to contest his last election from Hassan, but as he had promised the seat to Prajwal three years ago, he doesn’t want to go back on the decision now,” he said.
Prajwal Revanna, the other grandson of Deve Gowda has been announced as JD(S)’ candidate from Hassan, the family turf of the party patriarch and the seat he has been representing. The Congress and JD(S) have decided to launch a joint election campaign in the presence of Congress president RahulGandhi on March 31, either near the old airport road or nearNelamangala, by gathering about 5 lakh people, Kumaraswamy said.
