H D Kumaraswamy bats for quota in private sector

 JD(S) state president H D Kumaraswamy has pitched for reservation in private sector jobs as he went out all to woo Dalits at an interaction here on Monday.

"The number of jobs generated in the private sector is more than that in the government sector. So, the stand of our party is that reservation has to be extended to the private sector," Kumaraswamy said during an interaction with pro-Dalit organisations. "For this to happen, the Centre has to make an amendment to the Constitution and the state government has to send a proposal."

"If I become the chief minister, I will have two deputies - one Dalit and another from the minority community," he said, adding that the JD(S) would form the next government on a majority. "I will have every district in-charge minister compulsorily stay over at a Dalit household once a month."

Kumaraswamy admitted that the JD(S) suffered from an image that it gave tickets to candidates with money by ignoring those who had worked hard for the party. "That's what people think, but we have never done politics for money. Tickets have been given to those who work at the grassroots with people," he said.