GTD claims he was not invited to campaign for Nikhil

Even as he sought to instil confidence in Nikhil Kumaraswamy to courageously face the loss in the byelections to the Channapatna Assembly constituency, former Minister and JD(S) Core Committee chief G.T. Deve Gowda on Saturday said he was not invited by the party for the election campaign in Channapatna.

Fielding reporters’ queries, Mr. Gowda said he was not invited for the campaign during the recent bypolls in Channapatna by either the candidate, his mother Anitha Kumaraswamy or former Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda.

However, he said he was not upset with Union Minister for Heavy Industries and Steel H.D. Kumaraswamy. “I am not miffed with him. We are together. But, this is how he treats me,” he lamented.

Pointing out that his son and Hunsur MLA G.D. Harish Gowda had participated in the campaign, Mr. Gowda said the JD(S) leadership may be thinking that his son is enough. “They have decided that G.T. Deve Gowda is now aged. His son has come into the field. Son is enough. Enough of G.T. Deve Gowda’s politics,” he remarked.

Mr. Gowda also sought to clarify that he has not been invited by the Congress to join the party.

Though he had spoken to Congress leaders including Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, Deputy Chief Minister D .K. Shivakumar, and Central Congress leaders including Randeep Surjewala and K.C. Venugopal before the Assembly elections, he has not spoken to any Congress leaders after the elections.

When his attention was drawn to Mr. Siddaramaiah’s reported statement in a public function about asking Mr. Gowda to make up his mind, Mr. Gowda said Mr. Siddaramaiah had not spoken to him directly and invited him to join the party.

Mr. Gowda said the JD(S) leadership does not have a place for him in the party as it has tied up with the BJP while the party leadership also knows that the Congress will also not accommodate him. “So, they want me to retire from politics,” Mr. Gowda remarked.

Bypolls

Mr. Gowda said he was not aware of the reasons for the JD(S) candidate’s debacle in the bypolls, but said victory and loss were common in democracy.

Also, it was common for ruling parties to win in byelections, he said.

Though Mr. Nikhil should have won in his third election, Mr. Gowda said there have been instances in which candidates have lost three times before going on to win and becoming Ministers. “He should face the loss courageously and work towards building the party,” Mr. Gowda said.

Published - November 23, 2024 08:23 pm IST