With the bypoll just three days away, what is your gut feeling?
It is in my favour because there is an aversion against Union Minister HD Kumaraswamy as he did not deliver the goods during his term as CM.
Former PM HD Deve Gowda is a Vokkaliga stalwart. Won’t the community stand by him?
He plays the caste card only during elections. But I am there for the community all the time. I have respect for him. But in public life, people will not accept his stand. His is family interest, and mine is public interest.
Gowda claims credit for Iggaluru dam. What is your take on it?
He (Gowda) is in no way connected to Iggaluru barrage. He had no idea at all. It is all a cock-and-bull story. When he was the PM, the local people called him and named it after him. That’s about it. But I found the source for the dam from the Cauvery and Sattegala project, a similar one, has been commissioned. When DV Sadananda Gowda was CM, I got the project approved, and Siddaramaiah as CM released the funds. No one government can claim credit for the project. I have evidence of Gowda saying the pipelines will get removed after the Cauvery Water Tribunal verdict.
Nikhil is trying to gain sympathy after losing two back-to-back polls...
By losing polls elsewhere (Mandya in 2019 and Ramanagara in 2023), he (Nikhil) cannot use it in his favour in Channapatna.
If you had contested as an independent or as a BJP candidate, would it have been easy for you?
Maybe. But the voting pattern changed in my favour as the people understood why I joined Congress.
Kumarswamy is wooing all communities. What is your take?
He was at it... but ultimately the people will vote for me thinking beyond caste lines for the work I had delivered in the past.
Will DyCM DK Shivakumar become CM if you win?
My win will strengthen Congress and also the hands of DK Shivakumar. It is up to the Congress high command to decide over the CM post. My factor helped BJP’s Dr CN Manjunath win Bengaluru Rural LS seat in 2024, and now I will be with Shivakumar in his future endeavours.