Daijiworld Media Network - Mandya (SP)

Mandya, Apr 5: Former Prime Minister and JD(S) national president, H D Deve Gowda, confessed that politics in the district has become unmanageable. He was canvassing for his grandson, Nikhil Kumaraswamy, who has been fielded in this constituency by the coalition parties, at K R Pet in the district, on Thursday April 4.

"Everything here has gone out of hand. Even Siddaramaiah's visit cannot change the scenario. Many have travelled too far to be able to return to the mainstream. They have taken a pledge to cause loss of face to Kumaraswamy by defeating his son. I do not want to visit such people to request them to change their stand and support us," Deve Gowda explained.

The election campaigning is at its zenith. Still, in spite of the fact that former Prime Minister and JD(S) supremo was in town, none of the Congress leaders or workers appeared at the meeting addressed by Gowda.

Deve Gowda lashed out at former chief minister and BJP leader, S M Krishna, reminding him that he had once approached the former for help to be made chief minister of Karnataka. He also said that Krishna had become Rajya Sabha member with his help, and asked Krishna to introspect on these things. He apparently was referring to Krishna's comments on Wednesday that he was denied an opportunity to become the CM and also that he was kept away from state politics.

Criticising the current day cine actors who have taken a plunge into politics, Gowda recalled that when he had requested erstwhile superstar, Rajkumar, to come to politics and fight election against Congress strongman, Veerendra Patil, the actor had sincerely requested him not to pressurize him as he was the worshipper of art form and it is not right for him to join politics.

Deve Gowda hoped that the conscious voters of this constituency will support his grandson.

The silver lining for JD(S) is that Siddaramaiah, for whom winning Mysuru seat has become a prestige issue, has been able to convince his arch rival and state minister, G T Deve Gowda, to support Congress party in Mysuru constituency. He held parleys with G T Deve Gowda in the company of minister, Zameer Ahmed Khan, and former Magadi MLA, Balakrishna. Now the minister has agreed to actively canvass for Congress candidate from April 7 onward.

In return, Siddaramaiah has promised to convince Mandya leaders to support Nikhil there. On Saturday, Siddaramaiah and KPCC president, Dinesh Gundu Rao, would be holding discussions again with leaders from that district in a bid to convince them to campaign for the D(S) candidate.