BENGALURU: Senior JDS leader HD Kumaraswamy on Thursday launched the Tumakuru leg of his party’s pancharatna yatra ahead of the 2023 Assembly elections. He visited the Siddaganga Mutt, a prominent Lingayat mutt, in Tumakuru, and prayed before the gaddige of Sri Shivakumara Swamiji. The mutt is situated in Tumakuru Rural constituency which is represented by JDS MLA DC Gowrishankar.
However, the yatra received a lukewarm response in parts of Tumakuru City Assembly constituency represented by BJP MLA G B Jyothiganesh, son of Lok Sabha member GS Basavaraju. Tumakuru district, considered a stronghold of the JDS, has 11 Assembly segments of which three are represented by the party.
JDS supremo HD Deve Gowda had lost the 2019 General Elections by a narrow margin from Tumakuru. Meanwhile, Kumaraswamy declared Govindaraju, a runner up in the 2018 Assembly polls, as the party’s candidate from Tumakuru City.