Union Minister and JD(S) leader HD Kumaraswamy has strongly opposed the BJP's planned padayatra to Mysore against the MUDA and Valmiki scams, criticising the appointment of Pritam Gowda as the in-charge of the march. Kumaraswamy alleges that Pritam, who is also the general secretary of the Karnataka BJP, has been involved in actions aimed at destroying his family.
The BJP and JD(S) had initially announced a joint march to Mysore, aiming to protest against the MUDA scam. However, the core committee of JD(S), led by HD Kumaraswamy and GT Deve Gowda, decided against participating in the padayatra. Citing the current dire situation in Karnataka, Kumaraswamy highlighted the recent natural calamities that have ravaged the state.
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"Hundreds of people have died in Kerala. The landslides have claimed the lives of people from Karnataka. They are facing difficulties in returning to their homes. Many places in the state have declared a red alert," he stated.
Kumaraswamy emphasised that the primary focus should be on addressing the people's issues rather than engaging in political activities. "Public sentiment is important. What are the benefits from this march? A legal battle is important. Politics is not important to us," he added.
Kumaraswamy specifically directed his anger towards Pritam Gowda, the former BJP MLA from Hassan. Accusing Pritam of attempting to destroy his family, Kumaraswamy questioned the BJP's decision to include him in their meetings. "Who is Pritam Gowda? The identity of the person who shared the pen drive is known. He poisons Deve Gowda's family. How can I sit on the stage with them?" Kumaraswamy fumed. The pen drive in question is rumoured to contain sensitive information that could potentially harm the JD(S) leadership.