Minister for Energy D.K. Shivakumar, who is in charge of the Congress’ campaign for the Lok Sabha elections in the Hassan constituency, held a meeting with party workers here on Wednesday. He claimed that many activists of the Janata Dal (Secular) and the Bharatiya Janata Party in the constituency were keen to join the Congress. “The JD(S) has no future. Leaders of that party have enjoyed all positions in power. There is no point in continuing there. We don’t want senior leaders. Those in gram panchayats, taluk panchayats and municipal councils are welcome,” Mr. Shivakumar said.
“During each election in the last few years, H.D. Deve Gowda claimed it was his last election. Where was the necessity to contest again when he himself claimed he does not get an opportunity to speak in Parliament? He should have retired from politics and restricted himself to bless others as seers do. How many last elections can one contest?” he said.
Referring to H.D. Kumaraswamy’s decision to contest from Chickballapur, Mr. Shivakumar said he had no confidence in the people of Bangalore Rural. “Mr. Kumaraswamy has said many times that Ramanagaram and Bangalore Rural constituencies were his ‘karmabhoomi’. If so, what was the need to contest from Chickballapur?” he said. Mr. Shivakumar had played a major role in the success of the Congress candidate against Mr. Gowda in Kanakapura (now, Bangalore Rural) in the 2004 Lok Sabha elections and the Lok Sabha byelection in Bangalore Rural in 2013.
