MYSURU, 7 JULY

Hunsur MLA GD Harish Gowda on Monday said he was with the JD(S) and would continue to be loyal to it, as the people of the party elected him as their MLA. He said he stayed away from a few party events because his father, former minister and Chamundeshwari MLA GT Devegowda, was upset with a few senior JD(S) leaders.

Harish said the party High Command will soon sort out issues. “Family and party issues are totally different. I cannot interfere in the issue of my father maintaining distance from party activities. My intention is to make Kumaraswamy the chief minister of the state again,” he said.

He also said some JD(S) leaders want Nikhil Kumaraswamy to become the CM and the party’s State unit chief, even though JDS supremo HD Deve Gowda and Union minister HD Kumaraswamy have not said anything in this regard.

Nikhil is touring the state, holding district-wise meetings with party leaders, as Kumaraswamy, being a Union minister, is unable to handle the drive to strengthen the party alone. Nikhil is expected to tour Mysuru district in August.