Political heat seems to be building in the Mandya Lok Sabha constituency that is set to witness a high-profile electoral battle with Janata Dal (Secular) leader and former Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy in the fray.
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The recent heart procedure that Mr. Kumaraswamy underwent in Chennai was referred to in a cavalier fashion by Srirangapatna Congress legislator Ramesh Bandisidde Gowda at a public function in Mandya, triggering a backlash on Saturday with even Home Minister G. Parameshwara taking exception to his party colleague’s statement.
“He (Mr. Kumaraswamy) gets admitted to hospital during elections. He will be in hospital for three days for the heart operation, and starts travelling the State from the fourth day. I don’t know how it is possible. (Agriculture Minister) N. Cheluvarayaswamy also has the same problem as his friend (Mr. Kumaraswamy). People don’t come out of the hospital for a month after a heart operation. I don’t understand the new technique,” Mr. Bandisidde Gowda said.
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Reacting to this, Dr. Parameshwara told reporters in Bengaluru, “We should not speak about personal issues of others, whoever it may be. It is better to have self control when we speak.”
Mr. Kumaraswamy’s son and State JD(S) Youth Wing president Nikhil Kumaraswamy said there was no need to create a gimmick before elections. “A third operation was indeed done and we do not have to prove it to anyone. We are not seeking sympathy votes.” He also pointed out that Mr. Kumaraswamy had undergone the earlier surgery a month before the 2018 Assembly elections.
The former Melkote legislator C.S. Puttaraju said such statements do not bring honour to anyone, and asked Mr. Bandisidde Gowda to apologise for the “shameless remarks”.