MYSURU: Striking an emotional chord with the voters of KR Pet constituency, JDS supremo HD Deve Gowda said, “I will forget the pain I suffered when I was defeated in Tumakuru if you elect the KR Pet JDS candidate. A victory in KR Pet will give me strength to continue my struggle for farmers and the poor,” he said. Campaigning for JDS candidate Devaraj, Gowda made it clear that he was not interested in what BJP nominee Narayana Gowda has to say about him and his family.
Clarifying that it’s not his last election, the octogenarian said a JDS would help him take on two national parties. He said that the two national parties were unable to deal with regional parties across the nation.
Gowda said that he would campaign for candidates in Chikkaballapur and Gokak in the interest of the regional party and the state’s interest, and its share of Cauvery water. He said that he believed that Tamil Nadu was given an advantage in the Cauvery issue.
Gowda said that certain reports had been stating that the saffron party will win only in six constituencies, which has made Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa uneasy. Meanwhile, Devaraj alleged that Narayana Gowda ditched voters as well as the JDS, a party that gave him political recognition. Those who betray Deve Gowda will never thrive,” he said. He charged that Narayana Gowda was distributing sarees, funding self-help groups and bribing voters. Independent candidate suffers cardiac arrest. While campaigning, independent candidate Umesh suffered cardiac arrest and was rushed to Jayadeva hospital.