HD Kumaraswamy: Some want to "finish" me off politically

Speaking to reporters in Udupi, the Chief Minister said he did not depend on the alliance partner, Congress in Mandya

Bengaluru: Karnataka Chief minister H D Kumaraswamy Sunday said a section of people wanted to "finish him off politically" by defeating his son Nikhil Kumaraswamy in the Mandya Lok Sabha constituency. Reflecting the widening cracks in the ruling coalition, Kumaraswamy said he was relying "only on the JD(S) MLAs, MLCs and the sitting member of parliament L R Shivarame Gowda (in Mandya)."

Speaking to reporters in Udupi, the Chief Minister said he did not depend on the alliance partner, Congress in Mandya. "Some Congress leaders are working and some are not working (in Mandya), but I am not upset with that. There is a section out to finish me off by defeating Nikhil Kumaraswamy. However, they don't have the support of the local people there," Kumaraswamy alleged. He was responsing to a query about the squabbling among coalition partners--JDS and Congress.

"I have eight MLAs (in Mandya Lok Sabha constituency), three MLCs and the sitting Lok Sabha member (L R Shivarame Gowda) are there.. They will work.. I won't blame anybody." Noting that the situation was 'adverse' for JDS in Mandya while there was reported discord among coalition partners in Tumakuru and Hassan also, he however said, "We will not let down the candidates of our alliance partner."

Three days ago, the JD(S) workers had openly rebelled against the Congress candidate for Mysore constituency, C H Vijayashankar and shouted pro-BJP slogans in the presence of Higher Education Minister and JD(S) MLA G T Deve Gowda. The outburst was against the 'hostility' of Congress in Mandya and Hassan, the two constituencies where former prime minister H D Deve Gowda's grandsons Nikhil Kumaraswamy and Prajwal Revanna are contesting the Lok Sabha election.

Reacting to film actress Sumalatha Ambareesh's accusation that the JD(S) was playing 'mischief' in Mandya, the chief minister retorted it was she who has been running a negative campaign. He also refuted her charge that the JD(S) fielded her three namesakes. "How can I stop anyone from contesting election? Kuaraswamy contended.

Sumalatha, the widow of popular Kannada actor and former MP from Mandya Ambareesh, is giving a tough time to Nikhil with the support of BJP and some disgruntled Congress and JD(S) leaders.

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