Cancel cash tainted' bypolls: HD Kumaraswamy

Bengaluru: Citing the Election Commission's decision to cancel by-elections in Chennai's RK Nagar Assembly constituency following the seizure of several crores of rupees from the residence of health minister C Vijaybaskar, state JD (S) president H.D. Kumaraswamy said on Tuesday the poll body ought to have countermanded bypolls in both Nanjangud and Gundlupet in the wake of reports of exorbitant sums spent by both the ruling Congress and principal Opposition, BJP, to woo voters.

Quoting former minister and BJP candidate V Srinivas Prasad's allegation about crores of rupees allegedly spent by the ruling Congress, the former chief minister told the media that when he was in office, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, who had migrated to Congress and contested a bypoll in Chamundeshwari constituency, had charged JD(S) leaders with spending enormous amount of money on voters. "According to Mr Srinivas Prasad, the Chief Minister has spent four times the money I spent during that bypoll held in 2006," he added.

He said media reports revealed how the government misused the official machinery to transport money ahead of the byelections. Taking all these factors into consideration, the Election Commission ought to have cancelled the elections, he added.

Mr Kumaraswamy made it clear that JD(S) patriarch H.D. Deve Gowda had already stated that only two persons-Mr H.D. Revanna and Mr H.D. Kumaraswamy would contest next year's Assembly polls. As of now, there would be no change in that decision. It was, however, true that party workers were mounting pressure to field Mrs Anitha Kumaraswamy from Channapatna but no decision was taken in this regard. It would be taken at an appropriate time, he added.

In response to a question, he said the complete list of candidates for 224 Assembly seats was ready but put on hold by Mr Deve Gowda, post elections in Uttar Pradesh. It also included candidates for Magadi, Nagamangala, Srirangapatna and Chamarajapet, now held by the JD(S) rebel legislators.

He reiterated his decision not to allow former minister Zameer Ahmed Khan who represents Chamarajapet in the Assembly, to stage a home-coming.