Deve Gowda breaks down as he announces grandson's name for Hassan seat, BJP dubs it drama
Former prime minister H D Deve Gowda said he was pained by allegations of dynasty politics against him. BJP says art of crying shifts to Mandya.
Janata Dal (Secular) head H D Deve Gowda turned emotional on Wednesday as he announced that his grandson Prajwal Revanna will be the party candidate from Hassan constituency.
The former prime minister said he was pained by allegations of dynasty politics against him.
There has been growing criticism of his family's alleged dynasty politics with JD(S) fielding both his grandsons Nikil Kumaraswamy and Prajwal Revanna for the upcoming Lok Sabha polls.
"I have given priority to all. But allegation is that I am only providing seats to my sons and grandsons. I will work till my body has strength. I don't waste my time," Deve Gowda said as he broke down at the event.
#WATCH Former PM&JD(S) leader HD Deve Gowda gets emotional as he announces that his grandson Prajwal Revanna will be JD(S) candidate from Hassan constituency; says, "With your blessings&blessings of Channakeshava God, I've chosen Prajwal Revanna from Hassan." #Karnataka (13.03) pic.twitter.com/gCE0ZN1yK2 ANI (@ANI) March 14, 2019
As an overwhelmed Gowda wiped tears, party supporters requested him to calm down. The event also witnessed both Prajwal and his father Revanna getting emotional.
Prajwal broke down as Gowda declared him as the candidate and Revanna while MLA Balakrishna was speaking about Gowda not contesting from Hassan this time.
Later speaking to media, Gowda said, he was pained by controversy in Mandya against his other grandson and chief minister H D Kumaraswamy's son Nikhil's candidature.
"It was the decision of JD(S) leaders to field Nikil from Mandya. I am deeply pained, they are saying Nikhil Go Back. I will go to Mandya. Let them shout go back...for whom I fought in last 60 years, I will place everything before the people of Mandya," he added.
The Bharatiya Janata Party, meanwhile, slammed Deve Gowda and called the emotional episode as "drama".
"First drama for the 2019 elections begins now," said the Karnataka wing of BJP as it tweeted videos of Gowda and family getting emotional at the Hassan event.
A day after the BJP said if crying was an art, HD Deve Gowda and his family would hold the record for mastering it, the Karantaka wing of the party took to Twitter again on Thursday and said, "After Hassan the art of crying show will shift to Mandya."
A social media campaign titled "Go back Nikhil" had gained momentum in Mandya a couple of days ago to oppose the "dynasty politics" of the Deve Gowda family.
(with agency inputs)
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