Must serve as an eye opener: North Karnataka leaders
JD(S) top leaders have neglected party in North Karnataka that led to exodus of many leaders
Hubli: With JD(S) leader HD Kumaraswamy embroiled in a Cash-for-seat controversy, party workers in North Karnataka hope that the incident will serve as an eye opener to their top leaders about the need to revive the party in the region.
The presidents of district units of the party from the region poured out their grievances during a meet convened by interim state president Narayan Rao in Bengaluru on Saturday.
They attributed the JD(S) setback in the elections to the failure of state leaders to tour the region. Many expressed concern that JD(S) will bite the dust if proper positions are not assigned to leaders of the region.
Several JD(S) leaders in North Karnataka have moved to the Congress and BJP in the previous Assembly and Lok Sabha elections as leaders including H.D. Kumaraswamy and Deve Gowda failed to visit the region.
The JD(S) candidates in the poll fray did not take up a vigorous campaign as they did not get adequate funds from the party. These developments have failed to energise ordinary workers forcing them to move to other parties. Now, the party leaders are eying disgruntled leaders of the Congress and BJP to regain the lost glory of JD(S) in the region.
“JD(S) top leaders have neglected the party in North Karnataka that led to exodus of many leaders. We have also stressed the need to assign party positions to leaders from the region instead of focusing only on old Mysore,” said Bagalkot district JD(S) president Ravi Hunashyal.
JD(S) has four MLAs in North Karnataka. There is an absence of good leaders in Haveri and Gadag. District office-bearers have demanded that state leaders tour the region ahead of the zilla and taluk panchayat elections to revive the party.