BIDAR: Former Chief Minister and JD(S) leader HD Kumaraswamy said on Saturday that the Assembly elections will be held in the state by December of this year instead of April 2023. Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai was unlikely to complete his term, he said.
Speaking to the media at Bidar, Kumaraswamy said that in anticipation of early elections, the Janata Dal (Secular) has already started selection of its candidates. The JD(S) will announce its ‘Pancha Ratna’ programme next month. This programme will focus on education, health, housing, farmers’ welfare and providing employment to women and youth besides social security schemes. The party had already chosen ‘A’ category Assembly constituencies, where the programme will be held in the first round.
He appealed to people to support JD(S) party so that its government lasted a full five-year term. “There were enough resources for wealth creation in the State and there was no need to go to the Centre for it. Though waiving the loans of the farmers was not a permanent solution, he would try to find a permanent solution to the loan burden of the farmers,” Kumaraswamy said.
Reacting to the state government’s decision to hand over the Praveen Nettaru murder case to the National Investigation Agency (NIA), he said that there were good police officers in the state. By handing over the case to NIA, the State government was trying to escape from its responsibility. To a query, Kumaraswamy said that there will be no hung Assembly in the State after the elections. Bidar South MLA and JD(S) deputy leader in assembly Bandeppa Khashempur, JD(S) district president Ramesh Patil Solpur, former minister N.B. Nabi, senior leader Ashok Kumar Karanji, Basavaraj Harurgeri were present.
Candidates list
Former chief minister H D Kumarswamy has announced the names of candidates of 7 out of 9 Assembly constituencies of Kalaburagi district here Saturday. Speaking at the party meeting, Kumarswamy said that JD (S) will field Nasir Hussain Ustad from Kalaburagi-North, Balraj Guttedar from Sedam, Sanjivan Yakapur from Chincholi, Shivakumar Natikar from Afzalpur, Maheshwari from Aland and Kedaralingaiah from Jewargi constituency. The party will announce the names of Kalaburagi-South and Chittapur constituencies shortly, he said.