'Will contest on BJP ticket to end family politics'

Kicker

Former minister A Manju of the Congress said on Saturday that he was ready to contest on a BJP ticket to put an end to JD(S) family politics.

Manju was addressing his followers during a convention here.

“JD(S) supremo H D Deve Gowda’s family members are opportunists and are doing politics for the sake of money and power. During my tenure as minister in the Congress government, I have given good governance. But
now, the JD(S)’ family politics has changed the situation,” he said.

“Everyone should get an opportunity in a democratic country. Since the JD(S) and Congress have formed a coalition in the state, Congress party workers of the district are suffering. JD(S)’ highhandedness has sidelined the Congress workers. Gowda is misusing the coalition to promote his grandsons,” the former minister said.

Recalling his defeat in the 2014 Lok Sabha election against Gowda, Manju said he was defeated by a margin of one lakh votes.

“I am ready to contest on a BJP ticket to put an end to family politics,” he said. He had been elected as an MLA from the BJP in 1999.

‘Congress ignored’

Zilla Panchayat president Shwetha Devaraj said even though the JD(S)-Congress coalition was in power in the state, JD(S) leaders of the district were not taking the
Congress workers into confidence and were acting like dictators.

ZP member Madalu Swamy and Congress leader G B Sridhar were present on the occasion.