Committed to fielding ordinary worker from Hassan: HDK

JD(S) Legislature Party leader H D Kumaraswamy said on Saturday that he stands by his statement made two years back on fielding an ordinary party worker from the Hassan Assembly constituency.

"Selection of candidate for the Hassan seat has generated the curiosity of a T20 last-over thriller. Party workers are curious to know whether the ticket would be issued to a worker or to a member of the H D Deve Gowda family. I have convened a meeting of the party leaders and sitting and former members of the local bodies from Hassan in Bengaluru on Sunday," Kumaraswamy told reporters in Sringeri.

"The BJP MLA from Hassan has claimed that he would defeat H D Revanna, if the latter contests, by a margin of 50,000 votes. Let him say whatever, I have said in the past that we will field an ordinary party worker and ensure his victory. I am committed to my statement," he said.

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Meanwhile, former minister H D Revanna has thrown in the towel in Hassan's ring following the challenge by the sitting BJP MLA Preetham Gowda. Revanna wants the party to issue the Hassan ticket to him or his ZP member-wife Bhavani. Their sons Prajwal (MP) and Suraj (MLC) have already started touring the constituency seeking votes in the name of the JD(S).

Former ZP member H P Swaroop, the son of former JD(S) MLA H S Prakash, is also in the race for the ticket.

Replying to a query on Union Home Minister Amit Shah's statement that the BJP would face the polls under the leadership of Modi and Yediyurappa, Kumaraswamy said, "Shah has started chanting BSY mantra for he is afraid of losing votes."