Hunsur: Weeks after JD(S) leader H.D. Revanna’s son Prajwal’s suitcase culture remark tarnished the image of the party and demoralised workers, party’s State President H.D. Kumaraswamy declared yesterday former MP Adagooru H. Vishwanath as the JD(S) candidate from Hunsur Assembly segment.

Participating in a massive road show to drum up support for Vishwanath in Hunsur yesterday, Kumaraswamy apologised for the confusion that was created after Prajwal’s outbursts. “There is no mistake in inducting Vishwanath into the JD(S). The 2018 elections will give a befitting reply to Chief Minister Siddharamaiah who is making cheap remarks on Vishwanath and the JD(S),” he said.

Keeping MLA G.T. Devegowda who was eyeing the Hunsur seat for his son G.D. Harish Gowda, in good humour, Kumaraswamy tried to iron out the differences. “JD(S) workers should consider Vishwanath as the family member of former Minister G.T. Devegowda and work for his victory setting aside all differences,” he said.

Fighting the perception in the Vokkaliga community that Vishwanath was anti-Vokkaliga, Kumaraswamy said that the former MP had criticized the leaders based on issues and it was not personal. He said Vishwanath didn’t commit the grave mistake like CM Siddharamaiah, who insulted former PM H.D. Deve Gowda even when he was promoted by Gowda.

On farmers, Kumaraswamy said, if elected back to power, he would run the Government based on the suggestions of progressive farmers. He said, he will waive all loans of farmers, adopt Israel model of farming, employ people to plant saplings, provide organic seeds, manure and implement Swaminathan Committee recommendations.

Clarifying that there was no suitcase culture in the JD(S), he dared the rebel MLAs and Chief Minister Siddharamaiah to order a probe into the charges made by a few rebels. Claiming that he is in active politics for people, he urged the rebel MLAs to stop making baseless charges against the JD(S) which has given everything to them.