Janata Dal (Secular) leader and former Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy, who returned home on Sunday after undergoing a heart procedure in Chennai, said the party’s candidate in Mandya would be made known by Monday evening.
“Leaders who grew in the party have now deserted us. None of them are standing beside me. There are no big leaders in the party. I will not disappoint you and by Monday evening the candidate for Mandya will be announced,” Mr. Kumaraswamy told hundreds of his followers, who had gathered in front of his J.P. Nagar residence here.
While he returned home to take a rest, party workers who had gathered insisted on hearing from him. Despite an appeal by his son, Nikhil Kumaraswamy, the workers did not budge and raised slogans declaring Mr. Kumaraswamy as the party’s candidate for Mandya. Later, the former Chief Minister told workers that though he was born in Hassan district, people in Mandya had showered love on him, and that he would not disappoint them.
Earlier, thanking for the prayers of his followers, he told reporters: “By the blessings of the god and people of Karnataka, my health condition is better. This has helped doctors succeed in their efforts. Doctors have also explained to me how the procedure went off.”
Three to four days rest
On his participation in the election campaign, Mr. Kumaraswamy said: “Probably, I need three to four days’ rest before I start walking normally. Whatever is possible from my side, I will do my best to ensure NDA candidates win in all the 28 constituencies.” On the State government’s decision to approach the Supreme Court seeking the Centre to release drought relief, he said: “These are all stunts. Instead of enacting a drama on taxes and approaching the Supreme Court, I feel the government should work.”
Mr. Nikhil Kumaraswamy said the party had convened a meeting of workers from Channapatna following which the decision would be announced. “We had decided not to field anyone from the family in Mandya. However, the situation on the ground is different. I lost the 2019 elections due to sabotage and that is why all of you are insisting that I should contest again. By Monday evening, you will know the party candidate.”
‘No problems with BJP’
Stating that the JD(S) did not have any problem in the seat-sharing arrangements with the BJP, the former Prime Minister and JD(S) supremo H.D. Deve Gowda asserted that the party would not only win three seats, but C.N. Manjunath, who is contesting in Bengaluru Rural on the BJP ticket, would also win. At a press conference on Sunday, the veteran leader said the BJP had put him, Mr. Kumaraswamy, and senior party leader G.T. Deve Gowda on the list of star campaigners, besides giving three seats to the party.
Regarding the Mandya candidate, Mr. Gowda said party leaders would decide who the candidate would be.
