Mayoral poll pact in Mysuru emerged locally: HDK

Kumaraswamy says no talks were held at the State level

Referring to the Congress support for electing JD(S) candidate Rukmini Gowda as Mayor of Mysuru, former Chief Minister and JD(S) leader H.D. Kumaraswamy has said that the understanding between the two parties emerged locally.

“There were no talks between the State-level leaders of both the parties on the election of Mayor and Deputy Mayor of Mysuru. Congress leader Siddaramaiah often said that he had not considered JD(S) as a political party. We wanted to show our strength in the Mysuru corporation election. There were no talks between the two parties after the election also. It was Congress leader Tanveer Sait who took the initiative to extend the party’s support to JD(S) candidate to keep the BJP, the single largest party, away from power. The alliance was therefore forged locally.” Mr. Kumaraswamy said, at a media conference in Kalaburagi on Thursday.

He dismissed the allegations of BJP leaders that he had promised to support the BJP candidate. “A few BJP leaders met me before the election and sought our support. I did not agree considering its possible impact on the prospects of our party’s performance in the upcoming Assembly elections in Kerala,” he said.

Asked about JD(S) national president H.D. Deve Gowda’s disinterest in the imminent by-elections to three Assembly segments, Basavakalyan, Sindagi and Maski, Mr. Kumaraswamy said that the party would field its candidates.

“Considering the way by-elections are fought these days involving a lot of money, Mr. Deve Gowda had said that the JD(S) would not contest. But, we have now decided to field our candidates in all three segments,” the former Chief Minister said.

Criticising the BJP government in the State, Mr. Kumaraswamy said that its priorities were misplaced. “Mr. Siddaramaiah had promised to build Anubhava Mantapa at a cost of ₹600 crore in Basavakalyan. The announcement was made to attract voters and ensure the victory of Congress candidate B. Narayanrao in the last Assembly elections. When I became the Chief Minister in the Congress-JD(S) coalition government, I allocated ₹670 crore for irrigation projects in Bidar district instead of taking up the Anubhava Mantapa project. Now, the BJP government has again announced the construction of Anubhava Manatapa keeping an eye on Basavakalyan by-elections. Priorities are misplaced in the Yediyurappa government. Funds are not being released to the projects and programmes that were announced in the budget and approved in the Assembly. The Chief Minister is releasing funds to projects that were approved in the Cabinet such as buying new vehicles to Ministers,” Mr. Kumaraswamy said.

Referring to the Kalyana Karnataka Human Resource, Agriculture and Cultural Society headed by senior BJP leader Basavaraj Patil Sedam, Mr. Kumaraswamy alleged that the organisation was formed to divert State’s funds to RSS branches.

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