Deve Gowda, son, grandson turn emotional, BJP dubs it 'drama'
Bengaluru, Mar 13: JD(S) patriarch H D DeveGowda Wednesday turned emotional and said he was pained by allegations of dynasty politics against him.
The former prime minister's emotional response was to growing criticism of his family's alleged dynasty politics with JD(S) fielding both his grandsons Nikhil Kumaraswamy and Prajwal Revanna from party bastions of Mandya And Hassan respectively for the Lok Sabha polls.
"...so many allegations, from morning in the media (they talk about) Deve Gowda, Revanna, Kumaraswamy and their sons," Gowda said as he broke down at an event in Hassan to launch the poll campaign of Prajwal Revanna.
Prajwal, son of Gowda's elder son and PWD Minister H D Revanna, is Congress-JDS coalition's candidate from Hassan.
Seeing Gowda wiping tears and speaking in a heavy voice, JD(S) supporters gathered at the event requested him to calm down.
BJP has hit out at Deve Gowda, by calling the emotional episode as "drama".
The event also witnessed both Prajwal and his father Revanna too getting emotional.
Prajwal broke down as Gowda declared him as the candidate and Revanna while MLA Balakrishna was speaking about Gowda not contesting from Hassan this time.
Later speaking to reporters, Gowda said, he was pained by controversy in Mandya against his other grandson and chief minister H D Kumaraswamy's son Nikhil's candidature.
He said, "It was the decision of JD(S) leaders to field Nikil from Mandya. I had not announced.I'm deeply pained, they are saying Nikhil Go Back..."
"...I will go to Mandya... let them shout go back...for whom I fought in last 60 years, I will place everything before the people of Mandya," he added.
Opposition is simmering against Nikhil's candidature in Mandya, as many who claim to be JD(S) supporters have hit out at the party leadership for sidelining loyal party workers to favour someone from their family despite not being actively involved in party activities.
A social media campaign titled "Go back Nikhil" had gained momentum in Mandya a couple of days ago to oppose the "dynasty politics" of the Deve Gowda family.
BJP said: "First Drama for the 2019 elections begins now," as it tweeted videos of Gowda and family getting emotional at the Hassan event.
"If "CRYING" was an art Sri. @H_D_Devegowda & his family would hold the record for mastering the "Art Of Crying"to constantly fool people for decades. Matter of the fact isBefore elections Deve Gowda & his family cries.
Afterelections people who vote this family cries," it said in another tweet.
Chief Minister Kumaraswamy is also prone to sentimental outbursts over coalition troubles.
"Emotions are my weakness. It is in my blood. It is very difficult to control," Kumaraswamy had said last month.
With tears trickling down his cheeks, Kumaraswamy had said in July last year that he was not happy being the chief minister and "I have swallowed poison like Lord Vishakantha (Shiva)."
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Bengaluru: Four arrested for housebreaking, threats, extortion; fake PSI among accused
Bengaluru: Vidyaranyapura police have arrested four persons, including a man posing as a Police Sub-Inspector (PSI), for allegedly breaking into a house, threatening the occupants, and extorting money while wearing police uniforms.
The arrested accused have been identified as Mallikarjuna, Pramod, Vinay, and Hrithik.
Police said the accused had hatched a plan to pose as police personnel, conduct fake raids, and extort money from residents by intimidation.
ALSO READ: Bantwal police arrest two men for illegal sale of narcotics, seize two vehicles, 810 gm ganja
According to the police, Mallikarjuna had failed the PSI examination twice and later falsely projected himself as a PSI. He allegedly conducted photo shoots in his hometown, Siraguppa, wearing a police uniform, baton, cap, and shoes, claiming to be serving as a PSI in Bengaluru.
On December 7, the four accused allegedly went to the house of Naveen in the Vidyaranyapura limits, threatened him with a stick and an iron rod, and claimed they had information that he was selling ganja. Under the pretext of searching, they allegedly extorted ₹87,000 through bank transfer, ₹53,000 in cash kept in the house, and ₹2,000 from his wallet.
Following Naveen’s complaint, Vidyaranyapura police registered a case and launched an operation, leading to the arrest of all four accused. Police have seized ₹45,000 in cash and the car used to commit the crime.
Further investigation is underway.
