Assembly polls: JD(S) to distribute tickets by Dec

Those aspiring to contest the next Assembly elections on the JD(S) ticket have been given one month’s time to prove their mettle in their constituencies.

JD(S) supremo H D Deve Gowda on Monday said that only those aspirants who will effectively organise the party and exhibit their winnability skills will be fielded.

Addressing reporters in Bengaluru, Gowda said that he had convened a meeting of all ticket aspirants on October 11.

For the next one month, the aspirants will have to establish contact with voters and make the party’s presence felt in constituencies. Those who fail to do so will not be given the ticket, he said.

Gowda said that the party had already assured tickets to the 33 sitting MLAs.

Candidate selection for the remaining 191 seats, will hinge on recommendations made by the booth committees to the party’s core committee. Tickets will be distributed by December end, he added.

Gowda said that he had taken over the party affairs and responsibilities after his son H D Kumaraswamy underwent a heart surgery a couple of weeks back.

Reacting to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s recent announcement that the government would ensure 70% reservation for the SCs, STs and OBCs, Gowda said that the former had no clue about what he was talking about. “The Supreme Court will not agree to this. Siddaramaiah is talking rubbish,” he added.

DH News Service