JD(S) workers to decide whether wife or son will contest from Ramanagara: HD Kumaraswamy
Ramanagara (K'taka), Dec 17: JD(S) leader H D Kumaraswamy, who had earlier said that his son won't contest the 2023 Karnataka assembly polls, on Saturday indicated the possibility of him fighting the election, stating that party workers will decide whether Anitha or Nikhil Kumaraswamy should be the candidate from here.
Anitha, who is the wife of H D Kumaraswamy, currently represents Ramanagara assembly segment as MLA.
"Ramanagara is the place which gave me political birth, people here have nurtured me, and so the people and party workers here will decide whom to nurture further in this constituency, I will bow my head to their decision," Kumaraswamy said.
Speaking to reporters here, the former chief minister said, "There is no confusion. People, officials and party workers have good opinions about Anitha Kumaraswamy. They say she has done a good job. Ultimately, the workers will decide whether Anitha Kumaraswamy should contest or Nikhil Kumaraswamy should contest, I leave it to their decision."
Kumaraswamy, earlier in July, had said that his son and party youth wing president Nikhil will not be contesting the assembly polls, noting that the 32-year-old actor-turned politician, who is the grandson of former prime minister H D Deve Gowda, will instead work towards the party's victory in number of other constituencies.
It was said that Nikhil was more interested in fighting and winning the next Lok Sabha polls from Mandya.
Nikhil lost the 2019 Lok Sabha election from the party bastion of Mandya to BJP-backed independent candidate Sumalatha Ambareesh, an actor-turned politician. JD(S) had fought the previous Lok Sabha polls in alliance with the Congress, as both parties then ran a coalition government, with Kumaraswamy as the Chief Minister.
JD(S) often faces criticism for "dynasty politics", with it even being called a "family party", as at least eight members from party patriarch Deve Gowda's immediate family are into politics.
The opposition party aims to independently form a government this time, and has set a target of winning 123 out of a total 224 seats in the upcoming assembly polls.
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Go to EC or courts: BJP state chief on allegations regarding Suresh Gopi's 2024 LS win
Thiruvananthapuram (PTI): Kerala BJP president Rajeev Chandrasekhar on Wednesday said any illegality in connection with the election of a candidate during polls should be raised before the Election Commission or the courts, "instead of spreading lies to fool and provoke the public".
Chandrasekhar's remarks came in the wake of Congress and CPI allegations that Union Minister of State Suresh Gopi filed a false declaration during the 2024 Lok Sabha polls and that his victory from Thrissur constituency was due to voter list manipulation.
The Congress, a day ago, alleged that the Union Minister of State for Petroleum, Natural Gas and Tourism submitted a false declaration to be included in the voters' list for the Thrissur Lok Sabha constituency.
The grand old party has lodged a complaint with the police demanding registration of a criminal case against him.
Prior to that, CPI leader V S Sunil Kumar, on Monday, alleged that there was clear manipulation in the electoral roll, which facilitated Gopi's victory in the Thrissur constituency.
Gopi had won the Thrissur seat by a significant margin of over 74,000 votes, defeating Kumar and Congress candidate K Muraleedharan in a closely fought three-cornered contest.
On Wednesday, Chandrasekhar questioned the veracity of the allegations by saying that these claims were being raised one-and-a-half year after Gopi won in the LS polls.
The BJP leader also said that such issues should be raised before the Election Commission or the courts by filing a complaint or election petition.
"They do not do that. Instead, they try to provoke the public by telling lies or try to divert people's attention by their propaganda. It is all a show," he claimed.
He alleged that such dramas are being done by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan as elections approach.
Meanwhile, Gopi reached Thrissur and met a BJP worker who was injured in a protest on Tuesday.
After arriving at Thrissur railway station, the minister did not respond to reporters' queries about the Congress and CPI allegations.
At the hospital, he only said, "Thanks for helping so much". It was not clear to whom he was referring to.
On Tuesday, General Education Minister V Sivankutty urged the Election Commission of India (ECI) to carry out a re-election in the Thrissur Lok Sabha constituency, in the wake of reports of widespread voters' list manipulation.
