Mysore/Mysuru: Asserting that the JD(S) would win about 80 seats in the next Assembly polls, Union Minister for Steel and Heavy Industries H.D. Kumaraswamy (HDK) has vowed that the NDA Coalition Government would come to power in the State.

He was addressing a large gathering at the ‘Janarondige Janata Dal’ Chamundeshwari Constituency public contact convention at the ground opposite Nagalingeshwara-Bogeshwara Temple on Ring Road at Bogadi here yesterday.

“It is certain the NDA Coalition Government would come to power in the State in two years with the blessing of the people. CM Siddaramaiah has been repeatedly mocking the JD(S) saying the party would win only a handful of seats. But come elections, the JD(S) would show its strength to the CM. The JD(S) is rejuvenating the party workers by ‘Janarondige Janata Dal’ public outreach programme under the leadership of Nikhil Kumaraswamy for he past several months, Kumaraswamy said.

Reminiscing the Chamundeshwari by-polls of 2006, which the JD(S) lost by a thin margin, Kumaraswamy said, the JD(S) lost the last Assembly polls because of some wrongs by party leaders.

Stating that the JD(S) would work for the cause of all communities, Kumaraswamy took a dig at the ruling Congress questioning why the State Government was holding ‘Sadhana Samavesha’ at Tumakuru on May 19 to celebrate three years of its rule, when actually there is nothing for the Congress to boast of.

Defending the recent fuel price hike, Kumaraswamy said, the West Asia conflict had hit supply chains and as such, the price hike is inevitable.

Maintaining that the hike in fuel prices was far less when compared to other countries, he questioned the State Congress Government how many times it had hiked prices of essential commodities and utilities.

JD(S) State Youth Wing President Nikhil Kumaraswamy, in his address, said that the JD(S) workers seemed to be disappointed as they did not see the expected results of the party’s ‘Pancharatna campaign.’ Taking note of this, the party has launched ‘Janarondige Janata Dal’ programme in all Assembly segments of the State, for which he has toured the entire State.

During the events, he found that the party workers were enthused by the new found self-confidence in all regions of the State under the leadership of H.D. Kumaraswamy, he said adding that this shows that the JD(S) is not limited to just old Mysore region.

Pointing out that though 54 Ministers and Parliamentarians have left the JD(S) in the past decade, the party has not lost its base, Nikhil expressed confidence that the NDA candidates would win all the 11 Assembly segments of Mysuru district.

State JD(S) Working President and former Minister S.R. Mahesh said that the party workers are the base and strength of the JD(S). Noting that the party is being organised under the leadership of JD(S) Supremo H.D. Deve Gowda and Kumaraswamy, he said that the party aims to win here again.

Hunsur MLA G.D. Harish Gowda said that the people have gathered in large numbers after coming to know of Kumaraswamy’s presence. Noting that the event was organised in a short period, he said that the JD(S) aims to dethrone the ruling Congress Government in the State, which is indulged in deep corruption and maladministration.

Earlier, Nikhil Kumaraswamy was brought to the venue from the Ring Road in an open top vehicle in a grand procession, during which the party workers showered petals on  him en route.

JD(S) Core Committee President Krishna Reddy, MLCs C.N. Manjegowda and K. Vivekananda, City JD(S) President SBM Manju, District President M. Ashwin Kumar, party leaders H.M. Ramesh Gowda, K. Mahadev, Narasimhaswamy, Krishna Nayak, Chandrika Suresh, M.J. Ravikumar, Prema Shankaregowda, Shivamurthy, R. Lingappa, Gangadhar, Ravichandregowda and others were present.

GTD absent

Sitting Chamundeshwari JD(S) MLA G.T. Devegowda (GTD), who has maintained a distance from the party for over two years, stayed away from the event.

GTD was not invited for the event nor his name or photos could be found in the posters, banners and buntings of the party that were put up all around the venue and along the entire Ring Road.