MYSURU: Disgruntled JDS legislator from Chamundeshwari Assembly segment, GT Devegowda, who has kept a distance from the party, has broken his silence by openly expressing his displeasure over the manner in which he was treated. The senior Vokkaliga leader spoke of how he was “cornered” in the JDS and announced that he was in talks with Congress leaders Siddaramaiah and D K Shivakumar to join their party.
Speaking to reporters on Tuesday, the former minister claimed that he was badly humiliated in the JDS which forced him decide on quitting the party. “I recently expressed my feelings with JD(S) supremo H D Deve Gowda and told him how I was humiliated in the party. He suggested that I continue in the party to which I said ‘Sorry, I have already spoken to Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar,” said Devegowda, hinting that he will join the Congress soon.
Devegowda also expressed his ire against KR Nagar MLA Sa Ra Mahesh, accusing him of wanting to emerge as a prominent JD(S) leader in Mysuru at the behest of HD Kumaraswamy. “Sa Ra Mahesh is a ‘hero’ only if Kumaraswamy is with him, but becomes ‘zero’ without him,” he said.
“I always remained loyal to the party... I was not invited for any major meetings or assignments of the party and was projected as though I intentionally skipped them.” Devegowda said a delegation appealed to the party to make him the Mysuru district president of JDS, but Kumaraswamy backed Mahesh. “Though I never went to anyone seeking any post, I was humiliated,” he said.
Reacting to the issue of a pamphlet of Congress candidate for the by-election for Ward 36 of Mysuru City Corporation using a photo of his son Harish Gowda, Devegowda said that the candidate Rajani Annaiah is a family member. “After taking the B-form from Siddaramaiah, she even visited me and took my blessings. Harish Gowda has not joined Congress, but his photos are still being used in pamphlets,” he said.