Home » Karnataka » Section Of Jds Workers In Channapatna Oppose Kumaraswamys Likely Move To Contest From Mandya

Section of JD(S) workers in Channapatna oppose Kumaraswamy’s likely move to contest from Mandya

JD(S) leaders and workers, and also a section of the BJP in Mandya want him to contest from the Lok Sabha segment, according to sources.

ByPTI

Published Mar 25, 2024 | 6:42 PM ⚊UpdatedMar 25, 2024 | 6:43 PM

HD Kumaraswamy. (X)

Speculations within the JD(S) that its state president HD Kumaraswamy is likely to contest from the Mandya Lok Sabha constituency has led to opposition from a section of its workers.

The opposition arose mainly in the Channapatna Assembly constituency that he currently represents.

The party’s core committee leaders are likely to meet in Bengaluru on Monday, 25 March, to decide on the candidates for Kolar, Hassan, and Mandya, the three seats from where the regional party will be contesting, as part of the seat-sharing deal with the BJP.

With speculation rife that Kumaraswamy is most likely to contest from Mandya, party workers and leaders from Channapatna met him on Monday and demanded that he should not “abandon them” and should continue to represent them in the Assembly.

However, JD(S) leaders and workers, and also a section of the BJP in Mandya want him to contest from the Lok Sabha segment, according to sources.

‘Give us some time’

“…naturally there is a strong opinion among the party workers that Kumaranna (Kumaraswamy) should not leave Channapatna. Party supremo HD Deve Gowda is in Hassan, they (party leaders from Channapatna) will go and speak to him as well, give us some time (to decide),” Kumaraswamy’s son and Yuva JD(S) leader Nikhil Kumaraswamy said.

Speaking to reporters in Bengaluru, he however did not wish to comment on a question about some party workers asking him to contest from the Mandya Lok Sabha seat instead and let Kumaraswamy continue as Channapatna MLA.

“Tomorrow, the core committee members have been called, after discussion there, the party leadership will decide on a future course of action… In the old Mysuru region naturally, there is a feeling that if Kumaranna contests in this Lok Sabha polls it will enthuse our cadre, similar is the feeling among BJP cadre. We will make a decision after discussions tomorrow,” he added.

Names of Nikhil Kumaraswamy and senior party leader and former MP CS Puttaraju were also doing the rounds as JD(S) candidates from Mandya.

Multilingual actress turned-politician Sumalatha Ambareesh, an independent candidate backed by the BJP, had won the seat in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, by defeating the JD(S)’ Nikhil Kumaraswamy. She had also sought a BJP ticket for re-election from the seat.

However, BJP general secretary in-charge of elections in Karnataka, Dr Radha Mohan Das Agarwal on Saturday said the JD(S) would contest from Mandya, Hassan and Kolar Lok Sabha constituencies.

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