SOM

Hassan, Apr 25: "There is a paucity of original Congressmen in that party. That is why they have fielded women candidates against me and former Minister H.D. Revanna. It is just an illusion on the part of Congress leaders that I can be defeated in the polls by fielding woman candidate," former CM H. D. Kumaraswamy criticised.

Speaking to reporters at the helipad here on Wednesday, he said "It is ludicrous that a party of 100 years history and claiming to be secular is having a paucity of men to be fielded in the election."

Driven by the episode of H.D. Deve Gowda losing to a woman candidate in the previous Lok Sabha election from Kanakapura constituency, a woman candidate has been fielded against me also. All their calculations will not yield any result," he said.

"The Congress' move is only a gimmick in the name of giving prominence to women in the Congress party and only amou-nts to make women sacrificial goats. The heavy-weights of that party should have contested if they had guts," he challenged.

"Mamatha Nichani, daughter of former CM Ramakrishna Hegde herself has said that Harohalli and Marakwadi hoblis are included in Ramanagara Assembly constituency which were in the constituency represented by her father. Let the Congress leaders come and take a look at the two locations, at least for the sake of the candidate. What had her (Nichani's) father done and what has happened now? Let them see it for themselves and let them realise the facts by asking the local people," he said.