Days after losing the K.R. Pet Assembly seat to the ruling BJP in the December 5 bypolls, the Janata Dal (Secular) on Saturday tried to probe its defeat in the crucial electoral battle.
The party convened a workers’ meet at K.R. Pet on Saturday to review the defeat of its candidate B.L. Devaraj against K.C. Narayana Gowda, the disqualified JD(S) MLA who won the constituency in 2013 and 2018.
Former Minister H.D. Revanna claimed that the BJP had “spent money like water” to win the byelections. While addressing the workers after inaugurating the meet, the JD(S) MLA from Hassan district said the party would wrest the seat from the BJP in the 2023 Assembly election.
The BJP and RSS workers had spent a huge sum on voters, especially on women self-help groups, to win the elections, he said. Former Minister C.S. Puttaraju and other leaders discussed many issues to analyse the reasons for the defeat. They also encouraged the workers to strengthen the party base to win the coming elections.
Party’s national president H.D. Deve Gowda and State president and former Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy were not present at the meeting. The latter, who turns 60 on December 16, is holidaying in Goa.