Daijiworld Media Network – Mangaluru (DV)

Mangaluru, May 1: Former prime minister H D Deve Gowda said the Janata Dal (S) party has close links with the people of Mangaluru as there were as many as five Zilla Panchayat members and three MLAs from the party who got elected from here in the past. 

Speaking to journalists on Monday, May 1 he said all constituencies in the coastal region have been strong and true secular fort of the JD(S). “Mohiudeen Bava is the party’s candidate for Mangaluru North. People are willing to elect Bava as he has dedicated five years of his life to public service and people will support him,” he said. 

“All surveys are favouring Mohiudeen Bava. He has contributed a lot to Mangaluru North constituency. He was deliberately denied a ticket by the Congress. But, we have given him our party ticket after observing his work on the ground and to the constituency in the past,” he said.

Without naming anyone Deve Gowda questioned as to who was responsible for the BJP to come to power. “JD(S) had not gone with anyone to form the government. But, that party approached us,” he said. 

Lauding former chief minister Kumaraswamy, Deve Gowda said, "Being chief minister he had introduced several programmes which benefitted the common man.” 

JD(S) leaders M B Sadashiva, Mohammed Kunhi, Vasanth Poojary, Akshith Suvarna, Vasanth Poojary, Dr Amarashree, Sumathi Hegde, Ramiza Nasir and others were present.

Gowda wants son HDK to be made CM

Later, addressing a public rally in Kaikamba on Monday, May 1, in the evening  Deve Gowda urged voters of North Mangalore constituency to vote for JD(S) candidate Mohiudeen Bava for his innocence and make him victorious in the upcoming elections.

The former prime minister also urged the voters to support the idea of making H D Kumaraswamy the chief minister of the state. 

He said that people would give a befitting reply to those who betrayed Bava, and urged them to vote for him to make him an MLA. Gowda praised JD(S) MLC Farooq for his work with the poor and expressed confidence that Kumaraswamy would come to power.

Mohiudeen Bava alleged that he lost his Congress ticket due to KPCC president D K Shivakumar.

JD(S) leaders B M Farooq, Mohammed Kunhi, and M B Sadashiva were also present at the event.