BENGALURU: Amid the alleged sex scandal row, the JDS held its high-level core committee meeting at the party office on Thursday. The meeting, which lasted for over 2 hours, also resolved to petition Karnataka Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot, which the JDS leaders did later in the day.
State JDS president and former chief minister, HD Kumaraswamy, said that his party will combat the “pen drive” that is being used as a political weapon. “Since they have dragged the name of NDA leaders into this, we need to combat it politically,” Kumaraswamy said.
While the JDS’ message was clear that the law should take its course, the party also held its own inquiries about the pen drive case and came up with details about the conduct of SIT officials with the victims.
The previous JDS core committee meeting was on April 30 in Hubballi, days after the alleged sex scandal involving Hassan MP Prajwal Revanna exploded. Thursday’s meeting is the party’s second high-level meeting in 10 days.
“Let me make it clear… no one is trying to justify (samarthane) it. And this is the clear stand of JDS,” Kumaraswamy added. While many in political circles have expressed fear that the scandal was threatening the very existence of the JDS, it was decided during the meeting that the party would take out an aggressive membership drive in all the districts. The district presidents were asked to take out a campaign to increase party membership.
The meeting was attended by senior JDS leaders HD Kumaraswamy, Sa Ra Mahesh, GT Devegowda, Bandeppa Kashempur, Alkod Hanumanthappa, Venkatrao Nadagouda, Sharada Puryanaik, among others.