Mysore/Mysuru: In a bid to gain hold over the dominant Vokkaliga community to which he belongs to, Deputy Chief Minister and KPCC President D.K. Shivakumar (DKS) held a meeting with several community leaders ahead of the LS polls, at a private hotel on Sayyaji Rao Road here yesterday.

Addressing the meeting, Shivakumar said that the Congress has given tickets to Vokkaliga community members in as many as 8 LS Constituencies in the State and the party has given the ticket to a Vokkaliga leader in Mysuru-Kodagu Constituency after a gap of 47 years.

“At present, the JD(S) is limited to a single family and it would be no surprise if that party’s future is over. As far as the BJP is concerned, the party is lacking Vokkaliga leadership. The Congress is the only party which the Vokkaligas can bank upon. As such, the community should vote for the Congress and thus give me the strength to consolidate my leadership of the community,” he said adding that he would make honest efforts to sort out the differences regarding the community                                              leadership in Mysuru.

Recalling that it was he who made H.D. Kumaraswamy as the Chief Minister for the second time in 2018 after the Congress lost power, Shivakumar questioned the community for how long it will support one family of the JD(S). Pointing out that Prathap Simha was given the chance for 10 years, he appealed the community members to extend support to Congress candidate M. Lakshmana, who is from the Vokkaliga community.

Recalling how the JD(S) suppressed leaders like K. Venkatesh and N. Cheluvarayaswamy, Shivakumar said that the JD(S) never nurtured leaders other than the family members of H.D. Deve Gowda. He also lashed out at the JD(S) Supremo and former CM H.D. Kumaraswamy for not allowing other capable leaders of the community to grow up politically.

Ministers K. Venkatesh & N. Cheluvarayaswamy, MLA K. Harish Gowda, District Congress President B.J. Vijaykumar, leader Manchegowdana Koppal Ravi and others were present.