Anitha won’t contest polls: HDK

Former chief minister and JD(S) leader H D Kumaraswamy has clarified that his wife Anitha Kumaraswamy will not contest elections any more.

Speaking to reporters, Kumaraswamy said Anitha was forced to contest the elections in the past. "I had to drag Anitha into politics and make her contest the elections to save the party as we were not having capable candidates in those constituencies," he clarified.

Kumaraswamy said Anitha should not be dragged into the Hassan ticket row. "Hassan's politics and Anitha's politics are different," he said.

Kumaraswamy, in a veiled message, tried to tell his brother H D Revanna that party loyalty must come first.

In a series of tweets, Anitha said she followed the instructions of the party and the high command.

"Even in the past, I had obeyed the orders of Deve Gowda, Kumaraswamy and the JD(S) party," she said. "I have never tried to tarnish the image of the party built by former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda and the family."

Reacting to reports that she will be one of the aspirants for the Tumkur Rural constituency ticket, she said, "I have sacrificed Ramanagara constituency to my son Nikhil Kumaraswamy and where is the question of contesting? There is no question of contesting again."

However, Anitha's son and Ramanagara candidate Nikhil Kumaraswamy, who is busy, gave a surprising statement that he would step back, if necessary.

According to sources, through this, both Anitha and Nikhil gave a message to Revanna's family that they will not disobey the party directions and the decision of Deve Gowda given that Bhavani Revanna is not ready to compromise over her ticket demand from Hassan constituency.