Kumaraswamy's flip-flop on Prajwal's candidature

Former chief minister and state JD(S) president H D Kumaraswamy said on Saturday that he was committed to his earlier stand that only two persons from his family would contest the elections.

Earlier in the day, he had told reporters in Mysuru that anybody could aspire for the JD(S) ticket and that his nephew Prajwal Revanna also had the right to contest.

Kumaraswamy was addressing a JD(S) rally in Srirangapatna.

"There is no chance of more than two persons contesting the polls from my family. If a situation arises where another person contests, I am ready for any sacrifice. There is a conspiracy to break the unity of the family of JD(S) president H D Deve Gowda. The conspirators have been spreading rumours and planting news about the supposed statements of various members of the family. Their efforts will go in vain. People accuse us of family politics. If the JD(S) is all about the family, what about leaders in the party like Madhu Bangarappa, Farooq, A H Vishwanath and K Annadani?" he said.

Ravindra Srikantaiah, who was a rebel Congress candidate in the 2014 polls, joined the JD(S) along with his supporters on the occasion.

In his speech, Deve Gowda said, "Karnataka has not got justice in the Cauvery river water sharing dispute with Tamil Nadu in the Supreme Court. Without proper knowledge, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and some people in Mandya district have been celebrating."

"In 2007, if Kumaraswamy, as chief minister, had not questioned the Cauvery Tribunal award, even this much water would not have been awarded. Even now, if the Centre forms the water management committee, it would be a blow to Karnataka. I am fighting for the Cauvery water since 1964 and I will not tolerate injustice to the state," he said.