Janata Dal (Secular) leader and former Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy on Wednesday filed his nomination papers from Chickballapur Lok Sabha constituency putting an end to speculations. With this, the stage has been set for a pitched battle with Union Minister M. Veerappa Moily of Congress and former legislator B.N. Bache Gowda of the Bharatiya Janata Party in this segment. Mr. Bache Gowda also filed his papers on Wednesday, while Mr. Moily filed it a couple of days ago.
‘Not a coward’Mr. Kumaraswamy participated in a mammoth roadshow after filing his papers. Addressing the gathering, he said he decided to contest from Chickballapur bowing to pressure from JD(S) national president and father H.D. Deve Gowda and the people of the district.
Referring to a statement by Mr. Bache Gowda that he [Kumaraswamy] is running away from Ramanagaram, Mr. Kumaraswamy said there was no question of running away. “I am neither a coward nor an escapist,” he said. “I am the son-in-law of this district,” he added referring to his wife, Anitha, who hails from Chickballapur.
Mr. Kumaraswamy has declared assets worth over Rs. 30 crore — immoveable property worth Rs. 26.5 crore and moveable assets worth Rs. 2.56 crore.
His wife Anitha Kumaraswamy’s assets are nearly four times his. She owns moveable assets worth Rs. 107.83 crore and immoveable property worth Rs. 12.87 crore.
The former Chief Minister describes himself as an agriculturist and a public servant with an agricultural income of Rs. 12.2 lakh and a “normal” income of Rs. 6.8 lakh for 2012-13. He owns farmlands in Kethiga-nahalli in Bidadi. His gold and silver assets are worth Rs. 25 lakh. His land assets include 16 acres of agricultural parcels worth Rs. 5.6 crore and which are said to have been gifted to him by his maternal aunt in 2004. His residence, built on 5,400 sq. ft of land, in J.P. Nagar III Phase in South Bangalore is estimated to be worth Rs. 2.2 crore.
