JD(S) poster boy Datta looking beyond party?

Bengaluru: Is Y.S.V. Datta, one of the public faces of the JD(S) in the state, looking beyond the party after he was reportedly sidelined by the Deve Gowda family?

Deeply disturbed over a series of reports on the uncertainty over his political career, the JD( S) deputy leader in the Assembly and Kadur MLA, asserted on Thursday that he has not been sidelined in the party. Addressing a press conference here, Mr Datta said, “I have been hurt by the misleading reports against me. My loyalty to JD(S) supremo H.D.Deve Gowda cannot be questioned, moreover it is not necessary on my part to make a public show of my loyalty.”

“Media reports have said the party will refuse me the ticket for Kadur in the next election. I have been dropped from the newly constituted core committee while another report says  I will join the Congress. These reports have created confusion in the minds of people in my constituency”, said Mr Datta.

“ I wonder why there is no debate about the ticket distribution for the remaining 223 seats with the media highlighting  only Kadur constituency. Even Mr Deve Gowda has openly stated that except for rebel MLAs, all sitting JD(S) MLAs will get the ticket in the next election. When he has cleared the doubts, why is the media creating confusion” Mr. Datta asked.

He stated that he had never been in the core committee and so there was no question of excluding him from the newly constituted committee. “My loyalty to  Mr Deve Gowda is as old as 40 years, even legendary leaders joined the group led by then CM Ramakrishna Hegde, I alone stood with Mr Gowda and I remain loyal to him”, Mr Datta added.