Mysuru: Peeved over being ignored by the party top brass, Chamundeshwari JD(S) MLA G.T. Devegowda (GTD), who is also the party’s Core Committee Chairman, has charged Union Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy (HDK), son of JD(S) Supremo and former Prime Minister H.D. Devegowda, of demolishing the party built by his (HDK) father.

Speaking to press persons here yesterday, a day after the results of the by-polls were announced, GTD, who has maintained a distance from the party for the past few months, wondered what would have been the fate of JD(S) today, had it not entered into an alliance with BJP. 

Maintaining that JD(S) has survived because of the efforts of H.D. Devegowda and the grace of God, GTD said that he was affectionate towards Kumaraswamy since the beginning and he had strived a lot for making HDK, the CM. “But it is unfortunate that HDK was not reciprocating my affection. He is also planning to finish me off politically. Though HDK tried many times to keep me out of the party affairs, I survived in JD(S) because of H.D. Devegowda. I am deeply pained at the way the party has been treating me of late,” he said.

Stating that he toured the entire State after being appointed as the JD(S) Core Committee President, GTD said, he has continued to stay in JD(S) despite the humiliation he has suffered within the party. Noting that he almost joined the Congress after CM Siddaramaiah, Dy.CM D.K. Shivakumar, Central Congress leaders Randeep Surjewala, Venugopal and others had talked to him, GTD said, he stopped thinking about joining Congress after the JD(S) Supremo came to his house and spoke to him.

Taking exception to the remarks of JD(S) leader and former Minister S.R. Mahesh, with whom he was at loggerheads, GTD wondered whether S.R. Mahesh and other leaders opposing him, were with HDK when Siddaramaiah quit JD(S).

Maintaining that Union Minister Pralhad Joshi wanted him (GTD) to be made the Opposition Leader in the State Assembly at a BJP-JD(S) meeting held to discuss appointment for the post,  which was attended by leaders such as R. Ashok, HDK and others, he said that, however, he was denied the opportunity.

Taking potshots at his purported bête-noire within the party S.R. Mahesh, GTD said he has swallowed all pains and insults, staying in the party. Asserting that the party workers and the people are his guides, GTD said he would follow the stance that his supporters would take in the days to come.

“Whatever the political situation now, I am still affectionate towards HDK. However, it is HDK who has maintained a distance from me. Though HDK has come to Mysuru on many occasions after becoming an Union Minister, he has not contacted me even once. The same is the case with his (HDK) son Nikhil, who only visits his (GTD) son G.D. Harish Gowda. All these developments are enough proof that HDK and his son have stopped contacting and communicating with me,” he said while giving a hint that anything may happen in the future.