From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network

Bengaluru, Nov 9: Lambasting the BJP and the Basavaraj Bommai regime for misusing the founder of Bengaluru, Nadaprabha Kempe Gowda, for its political ends, JD(S) leader H D Kumaraswamy said the ruling party is mistaken and foolish if it believes Prime Minister Narendra Modi will help it in getting Vokkaliga community’s votes by making him unveil the Kempe Gowda statue.

Speaking after inaugurating the JD(S) office in Basavanagudi and offering a puja at the Ganapathy temple, the former Chief Minister condemned the Bommai government and the ruling party for misusing the name of Kempe Gowda for its political gains.

“If the Bommai regime and the ruling party believes that Modi will help them to get Vokkaliga community’s votes by getting him to unveil the statue of Kempe Gowda, they are in for disappointment. People are not fools to be taken in by such gimmicks. They will teach these people a befitting lesson,’’ he said.

Even as he assailed the BJP for getting Modi to unveil the Kempe Gowda statue near Bengaluru International Airport Ltd (BIAL), the JD(S) leader asserted that he is not unduly worried by Modi’s visit. “The Prime Minister will come and go. But the attempts to rope in Modi to attract Vokkaliga community’s votes will boomerang. They are bound to be disappointed,’’ he remarked.

Kumaraswamy said Bengaluru has grown enormously and its problems, especially unemployment is spiraling. The two national parties of BJP and Congress are responsible for the mess in Bengaluru. Instead of honouring the founder of Bengaluru, both parties are misusing Kempe Gowda’s legacy for their political ends, he said.

Answering questions from media persons, the JD(S) leader said there is no need for attach any political significance for his party leaders meeting S R Vishwanath, the Gubbi MLA, as JD(S) has already named its candidate Nagaraj.

“Our party colleagues met Srinivas in their personal capacity and not as my representatives. I have not send anybody to talk to him on my behalf. In politics, mutual meetings and discussions are quite common,’’ he said.

Kumaraswamy said Congress leader Satish Jarkiholi’s derogatory statement on the meaning of Hindu was part of the political games of both Congress and BJP to exploit religion and faith for their political ends. But JD(S) believes in people’s issues and development, he said.