Not upset with party: Madhu Bangarappa

Dismissing speculations that JD(S) supremo H D Deve Gowda was trying to pacify him as baseless, former MLA and JD(S) youth wing president Madhu Bangarappa said that no such thing had taken place.

It is rumoured that Madhu Bangarappa is upset with the party leadership for isolating him after he was defeated in the Shimoga bypoll held on November 3.

However, with the Lok Sabha elections nearing, both Gowda and Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy have been trying to reach out to him, but to no avail.

Sources said Gowda recently sent a missive to Madhu, urging him to let bygones be bygones. Gowda is also said to have requested Madhu to help the party gear up for the polls in Malnad and coastal regions.

Speaking to reporters in Bengaluru on Saturday, Madhu said that he was not such a big leader for Gowda to write to him. “I am not upset, and no such development has taken place.”

“The situation isn’t so grave that Deve Gowda has to write to me. Moreover, I am not even such a big leader for Gowda to be trying to pacify me. If there are any minor differences, we will resolve it at the party level. Kumaraswamy is now responsible for two families (Congress and JD-S). I am ready to make any sacrifice for the party. I will meet Gowda in a couple of days,” he added.

Madhu Bangarappa said he had himself stayed away from the party affairs. “After losing the Shimoga bypoll, I had consciously stayed away from mainstream politics. Even when the party leadership offered to make me an MLC, I said no. I didn’t want to make a backdoor entry into mainstream politics by taking up the MLC post,” he said.

When asked about rumours that he might be appointed the political secretary of the chief minister, Bangarappa said he will accept any responsibility entrusted to him.

Madhu Bangarappa hinted that he was all set to contest the Lok Sabha polls from Shimoga. “I am not sure about the seat-sharing arrangement with the Congress - whether they will hand over Shimoga constituency to JD(S) or not. Even if I don’t end up contesting from Shimoga, my responsibility is to work with the Congress in the constituency.”