Ready to serve people of Mandya, says Nikhil Kumaraswamy
Bengaluru: Karnataka Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy's son Nikhil Kumaraswamy, a popular actor, said Thursday that he was ready to serve the people of Mandya from where he is expected to contest the coming Lok Sabha elections.
Nikhil, the third generation of the mighty Deve Gowda clan, said he would go by the decision of the party on fielding him from Mandya, a Vokkaliga community bastion of JD(S).
"Senior leaders took a decision after discussing with party workers and the MLAs. Most importantly, the party has come forward to give (me) a ticket after understanding the sentiments of the people of Mandya. So, I am ready to serve the people of Mandya," Nikhil told reporters in Sringeri.
The Congress and the JD(S) have decided to go to polls together and are in the last phase of finalising the seat-sharing arrangement.
The list has not yet been made public but insiders said the JD(S) is all set to field Nikhil, who made his acting debut in 2016 with Kannada-Telugu bilingual film 'Jaguar'.
Presently, L R Shivarame Gowda of JD(S) represents Mandya in the Lok Sabha. He won the bypoll last year.
However, the coalition is facing a challenge from film actress Sumalatha Ambareesh.
She has communicated to the Congress leadership, with which her husband was associated from the beginning, that she would contest from Mandya. She has even hinted that if she is denied ticket, she may contest as an independent.
The BJP has kept its Mandya card close to its chest. There have been speculations that the party may back Sumalatha if the Congress-JD(S) alliance denies her a ticket.
Speaking to reporters in Hubballi, BJP state chief B S Yeddyurappa said, "We have not yet discussed (whether to field or support Sumalatha in Mandya). We will take a decision after seeing her decision."
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Two held for 'firing' at BJP leader's house in Bengal
Kolkata (PTI): A day before the counting of votes for the West Bengal assembly elections, two persons were arrested on Sunday for allegedly being involved in a firing incident outside the residence of a BJP leader in North 24 Parganas district, police said.
BJP leader Kundan Singh lodged a police complaint, alleging that a few gunmen fired at his house in the Noapara constituency around Saturday midnight.
Based on the CCTV footage, the two accused were apprehended, a senior officer said.
BJP's Noapara candidate Arjun Singh, in a post on social media, claimed that around 12.05 am, two armed miscreants arrived on a motorcycle at the residence of Kundan Singh, a BJP functionary and secretary of the Barrackpore organisational district, with an "intent to kill him".
According to the BJP leader, the accused are residents of Garulia and are known criminals.
Their names as offenders had been submitted to the Election Commission, he said.
The police officer did not specify whether the two arrested persons were the same individuals named by Arjun Singh.
According to the complaint, one round of firing took place outside Kundan Singh's house, triggering panic in the area.
The BJP candidate also questioned the role of the police, claiming that one of the accused had been detained by the police on the polling day but was later released in the evening.
The Noapara assembly seat went to the polls on April 29.
Several BJP leaders alleged that attempts were being made to create an atmosphere of fear ahead of the counting and weaken the organisation of the opposition parties.
The counting of votes will take place on May 4. Polling for the West Bengal assembly elections was held on April 23 and April 29.
The BJP urged the Election Commission to intervene immediately to ensure peaceful counting.
TMC candidate Somnath Shyam rubbished Arjun Singh’s allegation, claiming that the BJP nominee had orchestrated the firing incident to divert attention from imminent defeat.
“Arjun Singh knows all the gangsters in the Barrackpore belt. Everyone knows about his links with the underworld. Let the police investigate the incident,” Shyam said.
