At 92, former PM Deve Gowda seeks votes for grandson Nikhil Kumaraswamy in bypoll

Accompanied by his personal staff and security personnel, Gowda, who had a cannula on his right hand, attended several election meetings today.

On Tuesday, JD(S) leader and former Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda joined the campaign trail, rallying support for his grandson Nikhil Kumaraswamy, the party’s candidate from the Channapatna Assembly constituency. The by-election for this seat is scheduled for November 13, PTI reported.

Janata Dal (Secular) chief HD Deve Gowda.

Making a rare public appearance in recent months, the 92-year-old leader, who is dealing with age-related health issues, urged voters to secure a significant victory for his grandson Nikhil Kumaraswamy in the Channapatna constituency. This area was previously represented by his son, Union Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy, on two occasions.

Accompanied by his personal staff and security personnel, Gowda, who had a cannula on his right hand, attended several election meetings today. Due to knee pain, he addressed the audience while seated in a chair.

"This election has come as this assembly seat fell vacant due to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's decision to make Kumaraswamy a central minister. There was confusion as to who should contest, other leaders have spoken about what all happened, I don't want to speak about that one person (Congress candidate C P Yogeeshwara)..." Gowda said.

He said he has several things to say about what he has done for development of Channapatna like Igloor dam, "but no need to discuss them now." "Please, bless Nikhil Kumaraswamy, not because he is my grandson.....I don't know whether I will be a centenarian, but with your blessings I will be alive, it is a guarantee, as per the horoscope that my father had got written, I will be alive. (I will see) how my grandson will develop this constituency. His father (Kumaraswamy) is a central Minister and son will be here," he said.

“Never seen such bad politics”

Channapatna by-poll is necessitated as the seat fell vacant following H D Kumaraswamy's election to Lok Sabha. Yogeeshwara, a political heavyweight in the segment, had recently quit BJP and joined the Congress. There were plans to field Yogeeshwara on a JD(S) ticket, but he was not interested in it, and instead wanted Kumaraswamy to support him as BJP candidate, which was not acceptable to the latter and his party.

Noting that he has been in politics for 60-years, Gowda said he had never seen "such bad politics that is there now," indirectly targeting the ruling Congress in the state.

(With PTI, ANI inputs)