Congress leaders requested me to contest from Tumkur, says HD Deve Gowda

Tumkur (Karnataka) [India], Mar 25 (ANI): Janata Dal-Secular (JDS) president HD Deve Gowda said that he doesn’t want to hurt SP Muddahanumegowda, but his decision to contest Lok Sabha election from Tumkur is all because of the request of alliance leaders.
“The Congress leaders have conveyed everything to Muddahanumegowda,” said Gowda while addressing media persons here on Monday. Congress-JDS are allies in Karnataka, and are contesting the ensuing Lok Sabha elections together.
“I have worked as Lok Sabha MP for 29 years. That is why I had said that I will not contest elections. I had decided to make sure Prajwal Revanna contests from Hassan. Farooq Abdullah, Mamata Banerjee, Ghulam Nabi Azad and many leaders including my friends suggested me to contest,” he said.
“I know when we took this decision, it might have hurt the sitting MP from Tumkur SP Muddahanumegowda. I do not want to hurt him. Congress leaders conveyed everything to him...I chose to contest from Tumkur on the demand of many Congress and JDS leaders,” he said.
“Congress party gave the chief minister’s post to us even when we won only 37 Assembly seats. With the support of Rahul Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi, we formed the government here. I will campaign everywhere in the state. I will also go to Andhra. N Chandrababu Naidu has also invited me. We are secular parties,” he said.
SP Muddahanumegowda of Congress is the sitting member of Lok Sabha from Tumkur.
Deputy Chief Minister G Parameshwara said: “We never expected that we are going to fight the ensuing Lok Sabha elections with JDS. Our alliance with JDS and the seat-sharing arrangement was decided by the high command. We are fighting with 20-8 formula as decided by the high command,” said Parameshwara.
Lok Sabha elections in Karnataka will be held in two phases starting on April 18. The voting in Karnataka will take place for 28 Lok Sabha seats. The counting of votes will be done on May 23. (ANI)