A good number of JD(S) legislators have decided to keep off the proposed Sri Lanka trip. There are many reasons including apprehensions that Rajya Sabha poll candidate Kupendra Reddy might be sponsoring the trip.

Puttanna and Basavaraj Horatti are all set to drop out as the elections for the teachers and graduates constituencies are on.

Madhu Bangarappa has said that he may not be able to make it on account of prior engagements. Senior MLC M C Nanaiah has so far not shown inclination to join the trip.

Even H D Revanna and Y S V Datta are not going for the foreign jaunt, it is learnt.

‘Party has sponsored it’

However, JD(S) leader H D Kumaraswamy on Wednesday claimed that the trip is sponsored, collectively, by the party.

“There are no benefactors for the trip. Kupendra Reddy is not sponsoring it as suggested in a section of the media,” he said. Reddy, on his part, said that he was not going for the trip.