Mandya: It seems like nothing is going according to plan for the JDS in the Mandya Lok Sabha constituency from where the party announced the candidature of Nikhil Kumaraswamy for the Lok Sabha election. A meeting of the alliance party leaders, called by district in-charge minister C S Puttaraju, was a non-starter as none of the senior Congress leaders turned up.
According to sources in the JDS, Puttaraju had called for the meeting at his Mandya residence as per the advice of Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy. But senior Congress leaders, including Cheluvaraya Swamy, Ramesh Bandisiddegowda and others did not turn up for the meeting.
As per the sources, a veteran leader from the district and former MP G Madegowda also reportedly declined to show his support. Instead, he is planning to support Sumalata. “Nikhil is having a very tough time,” said a JDS leader.
