Will fight to end family politics in Hassan: A Manju

HASSAN: BJP candidate from

Hassan

, A

Manju

, on Saturday said the party has to fight together to end family politics in the constituency.

Addressing a BJP workers’ meet in Hassan, attended by MLA Preetham Gowda, Manju sought to work vigorously to triumph over family politics. Meanwhile, Yoga Ramesh, BJP district president, kept away from the meeting. He held a meeting with his associates in Arkalgud, his native place, as he is contemplating to jump the ship and join Congress.

“Today, Deve Gowda’s family members have mastered the art of crying,” said Manju, saying Deve Gowda has been doing so only to convince people while fielding family members in election. They should feel ashamed of asking Congressmen’s votes. Earlier, they were openly saying they didn’t want Congressmen’s support. Today the scenario has changed. Congress workers and leaders were harassed by JD(S) workers in Hassan. This time, JD(S) will get a befitting reply for all their ‘pride” in the Lok Sabha election,” said Manju.

“The JD(S) managed to get eight Lok Sabha seats after bargaining from their alliance partner Congress, but today they don’t have a candidate to contest from there. Congress leaders have been made candidates by making them join their party. In Udupi-Chikkamagaluru, JD(S) will be fielding a Congress candidate on their symbol,” said Manju.

“JD(S)’ only target is the portfolios which bring them money,” alleged Manju. “They call themselves sons of farmers but in reality they don’t need need agriculture and horticulture portfolios,” Manju said.

The dissent within the BJP after A Manju joined BJP on March 17 came out in the open at the party workers meet at Belur on Saturday.

A group led by BJP district vice-president Hullalli Suresh and another group led by taluk president Koratagere Prakash had a tiff before the meeting started. The fight was over Suresh's photo in the banner put up in the event. After noticing the absence of their leader in the photo, Suresh's supporters created a ruckus on the spot. The outraged group removed the banner which has only Prakash's photo in it. They alleged Prakash was involved in anti-party activities in the past assembly elections and shouted slogans to ban such partymen.

At the same time, A Manju tried to pacify the angry group but they continued sloganeering.

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