HDK hopes of doing well in bypolls

Asserting that there is no dearth of candidates for Nanjangud and Gundlupet Assembly bypolls, former CM and State JD(S) President H.D. Kumaraswamy expressed hope that the party would fare well in the bypoll to the two Assembly segments. Addressing the press meet at the Government Guest House in Nazarbad this morning, Kumaraswamy said that the party’s National President and former PM H.D. Deve Gowda has announced that a list of JD(S) candidates for over 100 Assembly segments for the 2018 Assembly poll which would be released in March next. Accusing the Siddharamaiah led Congress Government of looting the State, Kumaraswamy took strong exception to the sanctioning of over Rs. 120 crore for Nanjangud without Cabinet approval, just to hoodwink the voters. Stating that the JD(S) was making all efforts to come to power in next year’s Assembly poll, Kumaraswamy alleged that the two National parties (Congress and BJP), which ruled the State, indulged in rampant corruption, while also ignoring the State’s interests. Maintaining that the approval for the Mekedatu project was an election gimmick of the Congress Government, the State JD(S) Chief challenged the CM to complete the project before next year’s Assembly polls. Reiterating that the people of the State were looking at a regional party for effectively taking up their cause, he claimed that the JD(S) was the only party which can meet the aspirations of the party. MLAs G.T. Devegowda and S.R. Mahesh, Legislative Council Deputy Chairman Marithibbegowda, Mayor M.J. Ravikumar, former Mayors R. Lingappa and Sandesh Swamy and others were present at the press meet.