Bandeppa Khashempur, the Janata Dal (Secular) leader and former Minister, has claimed that the party was not neglecting the Muslims and Lingayats as being projected by some of the party opponents.
Replying to a question at a press conference here on Saturday, he said that those belonging to these two communities have left the party for their personal interest the party had nothing to do with it.
It may be noted that leaders such as Abul Azeem, Basanagouda Patil Yatnal and Vijugouda Patil have left the party in the past and joined the BJP, gave a room for speculation that JD(S) was neglecting leaders of both communities.
To the allegations made by the party’s senior leader and former Minister, Basavaraj Horatti that the party was losing grip in North Karnataka as it was neglecting this region, Mr. Khashempur rebutted such statements.
“We respect the views of Mr. Horatti who is our senior leader, but the party’s State president, H. D. Kumaraswamy has already made it clear that the party treats every region of the State equally”, he said.
He said that Mr. Kumaraswamy had already appealed the party leaders and legislators to air their views within the party circle to finding out solution to any problem.
When asked if the the re-election of Mr. Kumaraswamy as president of the party not send the message that JD(S) was a family party, Mr. Khashempur said that the party leaders have shown faith in Kumaraswamy and elected him unanimously, thus the question does not arise at all.
He said that with an objective of restrengthening the party at grassroot level, a core committee of 11 members had been constituted, and said that Mr. Kumaraswamy would be meeting leaders of all districts in phased manner to discuss the problems and preparing strategies.
Accusing the Congress government of neglecting the sugarcane farmers, Bandeppa Khashempur, the Janata Dal (Secular) leader and former Minister has said that the government has failed to ensure the commencement of the crushing in the mills though the crop was losing yield.
He said that the party would be raising this issue in the coming assembly session and also stage dharna in front of the Suvarna Soudha in Belagavi if the government continues to neglect the farmers.
