HD Kumaraswamy eyes ‘Ahinda’, appeals to Muslims, Dalits for support

MANDYA: Former Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy, defending the JDS-BJP alliance as a means to strengthen the hands of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and for the development of the state, appealed to minorities and Dalits to take a wise decision.

Knowing well that the consolidation of Ahinda votes was one of the reasons behind his son Nikhil’s defeat, Kumaraswamy reached out to Dalits and minorities who are a sizable population, to cut into Ahinda (minorities, Dalits and backward community) votes.

The former CM stepped up his attack in Mandya after filing his nomination papers, playing on emotions by evoking the issue of dried crops and the plight of the farming community in recent years. “The government generously gave water to Tamil Nadu but not to save standing crops. Our hearts burn to see dried sugarcane fields,” he said.

Recalling that he had waived farm loans of Rs 25,000 when he was chief minister, Kumaraswamy said the Congress government lacks political will, and asked why they should wait for Central funds to pay drought relief to the affected farmers.

Further defending the alliance with the BJP and thanking Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant for knitting it, he said he would bring funds for irrigation projects and resolve many core issues. He also announced that he would quit if he failed to live up to the aspirations of the farmers and people.

Thanking the people of Mandya for supporting his father HD Deve Gowda’s leadership for decades, he listed out his contributions to the district, including sanctioning a medical college, opening an irrigation department office, Escom office, PWD building, colleges and other infrastructure. He said that after banning lottery and arrack, his government could deliver on all fronts, but the incumbent Congress government is debt-ridden and raising loans to deliver their guarantees.

“What is the contribution of the Congress, whose candidates had won all Lok Sabha seats till 1977,” he asked. Questioning Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar’s contribution to Kanakapura, he flayed the Congress for playing the Vokkaliga card and fielding eight Vokkaliga candidates. He said the people of Mandya will repose faith in him and his party, which is the voice of farmers and the poor, and will not trust the Congress which is spending generously on fighting elections.