Nikhil Kumaraswamy at ‘Janarondige Janata Dal’ campaign

Mysore/Mysuru: Accusing the ruling Congress Government of showing apathy in holding long overdue Local Body elections, State JD(S) Youth Wing President Nikhil Kumaraswamy said that JD(S) will show its might in the MCC elections to Congress leaders who have been saying that JD(S) has no base in urban pockets.

He was addressing party workers at ‘Janarondige Janata Dal’ campaign organised by the party at Nanjaraja Bahadur Choultry premises on Vinoba Road here yesterday.

Maintaining that JD(S) in the past had bagged the Mayor and Deputy Mayor posts with the party getting the highest number of seats in the MCC elections, Nikhil alleged that the Government was postponing the MCC polls under the pretext of forming Greater Mysuru Authority. “The officials are functioning in the MCC according to their whims and fancies, in the absence of elected representatives. The Congress has been playing politics instead of holding the elections, which would facilitate development with push from elected representatives,” he noted.

Recalling that JD(S) leaders were elected as MLAs from all the three Assembly segments of the city over three decades ago, Nikhil called upon the party workers to bring back this past glory by getting organised and active.

Charging the Congress Government of attempting to fade Mysuru city’s rich culture and heritage, he alleged that Mysuru, which is the home district of CM Siddaramaiah is becoming a hub for drugs trade.

Referring to the defeat of Women’s Reservation Bill in Parliament, Nikhil said, by defeating the Bill, Congress-led INDIA Bloc has proved that the Opposition is against women empowerment.

Former Corporator SBM Manju was formally installed as City JD(S) President, former MLA M. Ashwin Kumar as District JD(S) President, Madan as JD(S) Mysuru City Youth Wing President and Hemavathi as District President of JD(S) Women’s Wing on the occasion.

Earlier, a grand procession of party workers was taken out on Dhanvanthri Road and other main thoroughfares in the vicinity, to Nanjaraja Bahadur Choultry premises.

Nikhil, who took part in the procession standing from an open top vehicle, was garlanded with massive garlands with the help of cranes.

MLCs C.N. Manjegowda and K. Vivekananda, former MLAs K. Mahadev and Dr. K. Annadani, former Mayors M.J. Ravikumar and R. Lingappa, former Corporators Prema Shankaregowda, K.V. Sridhar and Mahadesh and other party leaders were present.

HDK will become CM in 2028

MLA G.D. Harish Gowda, in his address, asserted that the BJP-JD(S) alliance would certainly come to power in 2028 and that Union Minister and JD(S) State President H.D. Kumaraswamy (HDK) would become the Chief Minister (CM). Noting that the JD(S) has showed its strength in Mysuru through this campaign, he said that the party workers were keen to see Kumaraswamy as the CM after the 2028 Assembly polls.