S.R. Mahesh takes exception to criticism from GTD

Former Minister and JD(S) working president S.R. Mahesh addresses a press conference in Mysuru on Tuesday.
| Photo Credit: M.A. Sriram

Former Minister and JD(S) working president S.R. Mahesh took serious exception to the criticism from party’s senior leader and core committee chief G.T. Deve Gowda.

Addressing a press conference in Mysuru on Tuesday, Mr. Mahesh sought to set the record straight by clarifying that he never claimed to have played a role in the appointment of Mr. Suresh Babu as the Floor Leader of the JD(S) in the Legislative Assembly following the resignation of former Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy from the Assembly earlier this year.

He also played a video recording of his speech in Mysuru, where he attributes Mr. Babu’s elevation to the post to a decision taken by the party leadership comprising former Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda and Mr. Kumaraswamy.

Mr. Mahesh was reacting to an allegation made by Mr. Gowda that he had claimed credit for the appointment of Mr. Suresh Babu to the post. Mr. Gowda, who represents Chamundeshwari Assembly constituency in Mysuru, admitted that he was an aspirant for the post after Mr. Kumaraswamy resigned from the Legislative Assembly after the Lok Sabha elections.

Responding to Mr. Gowda’s allegation that Mr. Mahesh was lying about H.D. Deve Gowda inviting him to campaign for Nikhil Kumaraswamy in the byelection to Channapatna, Mr. Mahesh said he was ready to show call records of H.D. Deve Gowda calling Mr. G.T. Deve Gowda.

He said the call was received by Mr. G.T. Deve Gowda’s personal assistant, who informed them that the Chamundeshwari MLA was participating in a function and he would return the call after the function. But, Mr. H.D. Deve Gowda’s call went unreturned, he said.

Expressing his hurt over the Chamundeshwari MLA’s public taunts aimed at him, Mr. Mahesh said the senior leader was free to slap him behind closed doors if he had done wrong. But, asked him to refrain from publicly targeting him for no fault of his.

During his press conference, Mr. Mahesh found fault that Mr. G.T. Deve Gowda for not only cross-voting in favour of Laxman Savadi during the elections to Legislative Council but also for not campaigning for the JD(S) candidate C.N. Manje Gowda during the elections to the Legislative Council from the dual member Mysuru-Chamarajanagar local bodies’ constituency.

Reacting to former Union Minister C.M. Ibrahim’s outbursts against the JD(S) leadership, Mr. Mahesh cautioned the former Union Minister to keep his language under control.

He described Mr. Ibrahim as a “worn out coin” that has no value.

MLC Manje Gowda and Mysuru city JD(S) president K.T. Cheluve Gowda were also present during the press conference.