Karnataka bypoll: H D Deve Gowda, son sing different tune

The two leaders made no bones about their differing views at a press conference they addressed at their party office here. Mr Gowda said he believed the party should stay away from the byelections as even BSP leader, Mayawati and AIADMK leader, J Jayalalithaa often ignored bypolls, but swept assembly elections in their states.

“While the Congress is in power here, the BJP is ruling at the Centre. Both parties will spend a lot of money on the byelections, while we are not in a position to do so.

“And as there are no other elections over the next three- and- a -half years, its best we keep away and stay neutral,” he argued, adding, “Mr Kumaraswamy may feel differently, but it is my suggestion that we should not field candidates.”

Unlike his father, Mr Kumaraswamy seemed all ready to face the elections, telling reporters that party workers were looking forward to them. “We cannot take a unilateral decision as the party workers want us to field candidates. They will be demoraliaed otherwise,” he maintained.

“In Shikaripur, we have a candidate, Baligar, who polled over 16,000 votes during the last assembly elections. And in the Lok Sabha elections, the JD(S) polled 26,000 votes in the Shikaripur segment.

“If we field a candidate in Shikaripur we cannot stay aloof from the other two constituencies.

“And if we don’t contest all three, it could give rise to a lot of speculation. We must consider all this before we take a decision,” he added.