JD(S) MLA G T Devegowda to seek voters’ opinion on party affiliation

Mysuru: JD(S) MLA G T Devegowda on Wednesday said he will seek his voters’ opinion on his party affiliation.

Devegowda, representing Chamundeshwari Assembly constituency of Mysuru taluk, has been maintaining a distance from the party since the formation of the JD(S)-Congress coalition government in 2018. He said he will act as per the instructions of his voters.

During the 2023 election, he was convinced by JD(S) supremo and former prime minister H D Deve Gowda to continue in the party and thus he contested on the JD(S) ticket. Devegowda’s son G D Harish Gowda is Hunsur MLA of the JD(S).

“If my supporters tell me to go to the BJP, I will go. If they tell me to go to Congress, I will go. If they tell me to stay in the JD(S), I’ll stay. I will convene a meeting of my constituency people. It will not be my personal opinion. I will make a decision after the people of the constituency decide. But, I will definitely contest the next election (2028). If the people elect me, I will work as their MLA. Otherwise, I will continue to serve them, without any position. I am ready for everything,” said Devegowda.

Speaking to media persons, in Mysuru, Devegowda said, “I’m doing my duty as an MLA. I was with Chief Minister Siddaramaiah for 25 years. Others don’t know how I worked when Siddaramaiah was the Opposition Leader and later when he became Chief Minister”.

“In Chamundeshwari, I have fought against big leaders and the people elected me. No one has the guts to call me a turncoat or corrupt. I will not run away in the middle. Neither Siddaramaiah nor D K Shivakumar invited me to the Congress. Similarly, neither the BJP nor the JD(S) invited me,” he said.

“Did they (JD(S) leaders) invite me for the 2024 Channapatna by-election? Today everyone talks on whatever comes to their mind, including about the party. When Siddaramaiah left the party, who remained? Now, they talk like leaders. But, do they have the ability to talk about me?”, Devegowda asked.

Responding to a question on the possibilities of Union Minister H D Kumaraswamy’s son Nikhil Kumaraswamy becoming the state president of the JD(S), Devegowda said, “Nikhil is also a film actor and is thus popular. He is young, but has lost three elections. So, he has experience. The JD(S), built by former PM Deve Gowda, needs to be strengthened”.