BENGALURU: Janata Dal (Secular) leader and former Chief Minister of Karnataka, HD Kumaraswamy, confirmed on Tuesday that he will contest the Lok Sabha elections as BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) candidate from Mandya Lok Sabha constituency.
“Today, my decision is to contest from Mandya for the upcoming elections. BJP leaders advised me to contest from Mandya. Most of the party workers from Mandya also insisted. I will file a nomination and then campaign in the state,” Kumaraswamy said while addressing a press conference in Bengaluru on Tuesday.
“Ramnagar district gave me political birth. Mysore and Mandya gave me political power.
JD(S) did not lose morally in the last 2019 Lok Sabha elections. I have made many contributions to the development of the Ramnagar district. My heart has been treated three times in 12 years. It is the will of the gods and goddesses that this country needs me. God has been protecting me for that,” he said.
He further said that the JD(S) joined the NDA to ‘solve’ the state’s problems while alleging that the alliance with Congress earlier failed the party.
“We joined the NDA alliance to solve the problems of Karnataka. In the past, we lost by allying with Congress. JD(S)-BJP leaders have joined forces and started campaigning in Bengaluru rural constituency,” the former CM said.
Speaking of the party’s remaining two seats, Hassan and Kolar, Kumaraswamy said, “There is no change in Hassan Lok Sabha constituency (Prajwal Revanna JDS MP), and the JD(S) candidate for Kolar Lok Sabha constituency is still not finalised.
The JD (S) leader further said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi is likely to hold a big rally in Bengaluru in the run-up to the elections.
“Up to now, PM’s future programmes regarding election campaigns a ren’t finalised. He may want a big rally in Bengaluru. For that, they may request the former PM (HD Deve Gowda),” he said.
Kumaraswamy also informed about his health and said that he will refrain from ‘high voltage campaigning’.
“High voltage election campaigning will not be there due to my health. Party workers will run the show. Let us see. The BJP has left the seat to our party,” he remarked.
Kumaraswamy returned home after a successful heart surgery on Sunday, March 24, from Apollo Hospital in Tamil Nadu’s Chennai.
Earlier on Monday, BJP MP Tejasvi Surya said that the alliance of the BJP and Janata Dal (Secular) will have a “positive impact” on the upcoming Lok Sabha elections in Karnataka.
“BJP-JDS coming together has given strength to both parties at the grassroots levels. I’m very confident that in all 28 Lok Sabha seats, this alliance will have a very positive impact. In many seats where our vote shares are very good, it will further increase,” Surya told ANI on Monday.
“Overall, this is going to do a lot of good for the state. I have also requested HD Kumaraswamy to join me at the time of nomination on April 4. He has blessed all of us. Even in Bengaluru South, all JD(S) workers are happy,” he said.
Karnataka, which has 28 Lok Sabha seats, will vote in two phases on April 26 and May 7.
In the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, the Congress and JD-S fought together against the BJP and the combine was decimated. The BJP had won a record 25 seats; Congress and JD-S won just one seat each.
The Lok Sabha Elections 2024 will be held in seven phases, starting on April 19. The counting of votes is on June 4. (ANI)
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