Hassan ticket: Kumaraswamy reiterates that JD(S) worker will be given priority
Hassan (PTI): As ticket distribution for the Hassan constituency continues to be a major bone of contention for the JD(S) ahead of Karnataka Assembly polls, its leader H D Kumaraswamy on Monday reiterated his stand that a party worker will be given priority.
With Kumaraswamy's sister-in-law Bhavani Revanna, who has thrown her hat in the ring for the Hassan ticket, not relenting, despite his clear stance that she will not be fielded and favouring a party worker as the candidate, the issue seems to have resulted in a conundrum within the JD(S) and its first family led by former prime minister H D Deve Gowda.
"Regarding Hassan, I have already said that a party worker will be given the priority, I'm reiterating the same thing today that the party worker will be given priority," Kumaraswamy told reporters here.
Responding to a question about taking his 'Pancharatna Ratha Yatre' to Hassan Assembly segment, he said: "I have kept the schedule blank on March 18. You might have understood the reason for it, if things (candidate for Hassan) get smoothly decided by then, the programme will happen in Hassan, let's see."
The former chief minister is undertaking the 'Pancharatna Ratha Yatre', a statewide tour ahead of polls, to inform people about a five-fold programme called 'Pancharatna' that the JD(S) plans to implement on coming to power, which includes quality education, farmers welfare and employment.
Kumaraswamy is keen on fielding H P Swaroop, a former Hassan zilla panchayat vice-president and son of former MLA late H S Prakash, in the constituency.
While, Bhavani Revanna, a former Hassan zilla panchayat member, is the wife of Kumaraswamy's elder brother and former minister H D Revanna, and daughter-in-law of Deve Gowda. She seems to have the backing of her husband and sons Prajwal and Suraj Revanna, MP from Hassan and an MLC respectively.
Both Bhavani and Swaroop have continued to visit various parts of the constituency, despite the confusion over the candidate for the seat.
With no signs of both sides relenting, Kumaraswamy, Revanna and other leaders of the party have said that party patriarch Deve Gowda, will have the final say on the matter, after discussing with leaders.
JD(S) has already announced the first list of 93 candidates for Assembly polls, likely by May.
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Football tournament organisers booked after gallery collapsed, leaving 55 injured in Kothamangalam
Kochi, Apr 21 (PTI): A case has been registered against the organising committee of a football tournament following the accident in which a gallery collapsed near Kothamangalam, here, police said on Monday.
The Pothanikad police registered the case against six persons under sections 125 (a) and 125 (b) (endangering life or personal safety of others) of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) after inspecting the accident site, police officers said.
The collapse happened at the Malik Dinar Public School ground, where the final of the tournament organised by the local club 'Hero Youngs Club and Reading Room, Adivadu' was set to take place.
The six persons, who are functionaries of Hero Youngs Club and Reading Room permitted more spectators without providing adequate safety measures into the temporary gallery set up at the ground, according to the FIR.
Preliminary inquiry suggests that the gallery, constructed using bamboo poles, gave way after its supports sank into the rain-soaked ground, a police officer said.
Of the 55 injured, four remain under treatment at various private hospitals in Thodupuzha and Kothamangalam.
Thousands of spectators had gathered to watch the match, as the tournament had been going on for the past two weeks.
The gallery collapse took place just minutes before kickoff, during a pre-match parade where organisers were displaying the winners' trophy inside the ground by 10.05 pm on Sunday.
According to police sources, the functionaries of the club stated that emergency rescue operations were launched immediately after the incident and that none of the injuries were critical.
They also claimed all necessary permissions had been obtained prior to the event, they added.
However, the police said an inquiry is underway.
At least 35 people were injured when a makeshift gallery collapsed during the final of a local #football tournament at Malik Deenar Public School in Adivadu, #Pallarimangalam, on Sunday night. The incident occurred at 10 pm, just before the match was set to begin, as around 2,000… pic.twitter.com/V6z3be7qlu
— News9 (@News9Tweets) April 21, 2025
