Myosre/Mysuru: Asserting that the doors of JD(S) party was permanently closed for Chamundeshwari MLA G.T. Devegowda (GTD), former Chief Minister and top JD(S) leader H.D. Kumaraswamy (HDK) said that the party will scout for a new leadership in Chamundeshwari Assembly segment.

He was addressing party workers ahead of the MLC polls at Kodava Samaja in Vijayanagar First Stage here yesterday.

Pointing out that JD(S) party workers had nurtured GTD for over 12 years, Kumaraswamy said that the efforts of former Prime Minister and party Supremo H.D. Deve Gowda and that of his (HDK) son Nikhil Kumaraswamy have proved futile.

Reiterating that the doors of the party were closed for GTD, he said that the issue is now a closed chapter.

Maintaining that it was the party workers who helped GTD in defeating Siddharamaiah in the 2018 Assembly polls, he lashed out at GTD for having betrayed the party, despite enjoying power as a Minister and other top positions.

Referring to the polls for the dual-member Mysuru-Chamarajanagar Legislative Council polls, Kumaraswamy contended that the results would be a pointer to the 2023 Assembly polls. Calling upon the electorate to vote for the party candidate C.N. Manjegowda, he said that it was the JD(S) which had really worked for the cause of Gram Panchayats.

Party candidate C.N. Manjegowda, in his address, said that he would strive to ensure that Gram Panchayat members get a monthly honorarium of Rs. 10,000 as in Kerala and West Bengal.

Expressing the hope that the JD(S) would return to power in the 2023 Assembly polls and H.D. Kumaraswamy would become the Chief Minister again, Manjegowda highlighted what he would do if elected to the Council.

K.R. Nagar MLA S.R. Mahesh, senior leaders Mavinahalli  Siddegowda and Belavadi Shivamurthy too addressed party workers.

MLA Ashwin Kumar, former Mayors M.J. Ravikumar and R. Lingappa, District JD(S) President Narasimhaswamy, leaders Prema Shankaregowda, Beerihundi Basavanna and others were present.