‘BJP attempting to create fake image about me’

BENGALURU: While admitting the fact that he was a consensus candidate after JD(S) national president HD Deve Gowda decided to contest from Tumakuru, rural development and panchayat raj minister

Krishna Byregowda

says his initial reluctance is now turning into an eagerness to have a national exposure.


Are you a Deve Gowda nominee or of the Congress?
The decision to contest from Tumakuru by HD Deve Gowda was conveyed to AICC general secretary KC Venugopal and KPCC president Dinesh Gundurao. During the discussion, Gowda suggested that I should be the candidate, and he would personally come to campaign for me. No sooner was this suggestion given, the party state leadership including CLP leader Siddaramaiah, DK Shivakumar, Parameshwara and the local JD(S) and Congress MLAs prevailed over me to contest. In a way, I am a consensus candidate and not any one person’s nominee.

The BJP has been saying that your reluctance to contest is an advantage for them, considering that you are not keen on going to national politics...
It did come to my notice that the BJP has been trying to spread such fake news. I would consider it an insult if somebody questioned my seriousness in contesting elections. I am not the one to betray my own conscience or the leaders and party workers of both parties. I contest to win. Perhaps, this is an indicator of the BJP having conceded defeat and is attempting to create a fake image about me.

There are reports that a section of your party wants to send you to national politics, thereby keeping you away from state politics...

These are only rumours and I have no such doubts about my party colleagues. And even if there were such developments, in politics it is not so easy to rob people of their opportunities. For all you know, I may get a bigger and better break from getting elected to the Parliament.

How big an impact does PM Narendra Modi have in your urban segment?

There is an und ercurrent against Modi after his false promise of “acche din”. The working class is disillusioned from his promises of job prospects. There is a sense of betrayal among them.