Hunsur: The simmering discontent within the Janata Dal (S) for party ticket from Hunsur for the 2018 Assembly polls came out in the open yesterday when Prajwal Revanna, grandson of JD(S) supremo H.D. Deve Gowda and son of former Minister H.D. Revanna expressed his displeasure over how loyal party workers were being treated in the party. Prajwal’s uncle H.D. Kumaraswamy is the President of Karnataka JD(S).

Speaking at an awareness programme for JD(S) workers at Puttaswamappa Kalyana Mantap in Hunsur yesterday, Prajwal said, “Today, those who are promptly serving the party are seated at the back row and those bringing in suitcases are being seated in front rows,” and his statement received a huge round of applause from the party workers.

“Opportunities must be provided for sincere and loyal party workers and a party must take all communities along without any sort of discrimination,” he said.

Continuing, Prajwal, without taking any names, said, “Yes. I am an aspirant of JD(S) ticket from Hunsur and I am pained to hear the latest developments in the party where I have not been recognised.” Calling upon the party workers not to tolerate injustice, he said that youths in the party should come out and play an active role in building the party and convincing the leaders to encourage loyal workers. “I will support you and I will be with you as all your struggle is for the welfare of the party,” Prajwal added.

“Only when you touch a rose plant you know that it is full of thorns. Likewise, a mountain that looks smooth from far is full of stones and boulders. The grass is not green always on the other side,” he said. “Those who have their legs in two boats will drown. They must remember who gave them political asylum when they migrated from other parties,” he added.

Praising his grandfather and former Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda and former Karnataka Chief Minister D. Devaraja Urs for bringing a series of social reforms, he called upon party workers to follow their footsteps to bring in a change to the society.

“Deve Gowda has sacrificed to build the party from scratch and he is known for his pro-poor and pro-Dalit policies. We must follow his ideals and build a strong party that can withstand the money and muscle power of bigger parties,” he told party workers.

PRAJWAL DENIES STATEMENTS

As soon as the media picked up his words and started airing those clips, Prajwal Revanna said that he has been misunderstood. “My statements have not been directed at party leaders and our party does not follow “suitcase culture”. We must all strive to bring back H.D. Kumaraswamy to power,” he said.