Mysore/Mysuru: Maintaining that desertion by a few leaders is not a setback for JD(S), former Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy said that the party has the support of a strong cadre.

Addressing party workers at Kempegowda Kalyana Mantapa in Manjunathapura here yesterday, Kumaraswamy recalled that  party workers and cadres revived the party after many top-ranking leaders left the party in 2008.

Regretting that false news about many JD(S) leaders preparing to leave the party are doing the rounds now, the former CM asked the party workers not to get demoralised by such fake news. 

Asserting that the party has successfully stood the tests of time, thanks to the party workers, Kumaraswamy said that party has lakhs of workers across the State and as such, desertions by a few leaders will not hurt the party.

Reacting to former Minister A.H. Vishwanath’s criticism over the grand marriage ceremony that the former CM has planned for his son Nikhil, Kumaraswamy referred to the expenditure the ruling BJP had incurred in the recent by-elections.

Claiming that the saffron party spent Rs.60 crore to 100 crore in each Assembly segment for the by-polls held in December last, Kumaraswamy asked Vishwanath whether such a huge spending could be justified in times of economic slowdown.

Stating that he need not learn lessons from anyone, the former CM defended his decision to invite all people who had blessed him and stood by him and his family in politics for decades. He further said that his son Nikhil’s wedding in Ramanagara on Apr.17 will also be an occasion to organise and strengthen the JD(S). The party workers will join hands with the family in organising the wedding, he added.

On G.T. Devegowda’s future,  Kumaraswamy said that he was not in a hurry to take action against the party’s MLA from Chamundeshwari, G.T. Devegowda (GTD), who has been repeatedly criticising the JD(S) leadership.

Maintaining that he cannot take a decision on GTD on his own, Kumaraswamy said that he would have to consult other top leaders in the party before taking any action. 

Accusing GTD of hobnobbing with BJP leaders, Kumaraswamy said that the Chamundeshwari MLA is known to taking sides with the party that is in power. 

He further said that he made a big mistake by making GTD a Minister in the previous Coalition Government headed by him.

Reacting to the resignation of former MLC Ramesh Babu from JD(S), he said his criticism of the party leadership was hardly surprising. It is natural for leaders to criticise the party leadership when they are not given power or positions, he added.

MLAs S.R. Mahesh and Ashwin Kumar, Mayor Tasneem, District JD(S) President Narasimhaswamy, City President  K.T. Cheluvegowda, leaders R. Lingappa, Ravikumar, Prema Shankaregowda, K.V. Mallesh, Syed Rahmatullah and others were present.