JD(S) chants unity mantra as Krishnappa takes charge

Putting up a united front despite having lobbied for the same post, JD(S) leaders on Friday accepted the anointment of A Krishnappa as the party’s State president.

All leaders, who had been vying for the post and fighting hard for it in the last three weeks, appeared as if they were a single family. Basavaraj Yatnal, Bandeppa Kashempur and Iqbal Ansari, who were all in the race, said the JD(S) was like a family.

Yatnal went a step further and denied there was any race for the post. “There was never a race. It was only the media which highlighted that we leaders were in the race,” he said. “We are all part of a political family and ready to serve in whatever post we are assigned.”
Kashempur sought to dismiss the allegations that JD(S) was the party of a father and son. “We are all sons, and Deve Gowda is our father. The party is not a dynasty.”

The JD(S) National President, H D Deve Gowda, said the anointment of Krishnappa should be sufficient enough to deter the party’s critics from accusing it of being a “dynastic” rule. “This battle against the Congress and the BJP is like Mahabharatha,” he thundered. “We have given Krishnappa the role of Krishna with a Sudarshan Chakra. I hope he lives up to his name and carries the party on his shoulders.”

Returning Gowda’s compliment with a Mahabharatha parlance, Krishnappa said the JD(S) supremo was like Bheeshma. “He guides us in our battles and we hope the JD(S) flag will flutter on Vidhana Soudha very soon,” he said. Krishnappa entered the office at 10.15 am, his “auspicious” time.