Empty chairs welcome former HD Deve Gowda at Kuruba convention in Tumakuru

The backward class said that they had decided to defeat Deve Gowda as he had ignored Siddaramaiah politically on many occasions.

There were more empty chairs than people at the Kuruba community convention in Tumakuru on Saturday

TUMAKURU: Former prime minister HD Deve Gowda was in a rather embarrassing situation at a Kuruba community convention held here on Saturday. While the venue is meant for at least 5,000 people, Gowda addressed a gathering of just 1,000 and the rest were empty chairs. Sources said the convention failed to attract people from the community because of former chief minister Siddaramaiah.

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KN Rajanna, a backward class leader, said, “The community leadership has passed a resolution to defeat Deve Gowda as he had snubbed Siddaramaiah politically on many occasions, especially during the last Assembly elections in Chamundeshwari.” Interestingly, in order to impress the community, Gowda tried to drive home a point that he will not let Mysuru candidate Vijayashankar down. Vijayashankar is a Kuruba leader and Siddaramaiah’s pick. “Siddaramaiah and I will ensure his victory,” he said. When asked about the poor turnout, Suresh Babu, the organiser, said people had just started to gather when Gowda came to the venue. Besides, the JD(S) supremo also left the venue early as he had to attend a Rahul Gandhi rally.