New Delhi:

Karnataka lawmaker Prajwal Revanna – who fled to Germany last month, shortly after horrific sex crimes allegations by women who said he forced them into sexual acts – released a statement Monday, claiming comments and “political drama” by opposition leaders, including Congress MP Rahul Gandhi, “drove me to depression and I was pushed into isolation”. 

“I apologise to my parents… I was in depression. I will come (back to India) and appear before the SIT (a special investigative team set up by the state government) on May 31 (Friday),” Revanna said.

“I will cooperate to the best of my abilities and provide all answers. I have full faith in the legal system (and) I will come out of these false cases against me. I have the blessings of God and my family…”

On May 1, four days after he fled the country, Revanna posted a message on X. He said, “I am not in Bengaluru… I have communicated (to the police) through my lawyer. The truth will prevail soon.”

Revanna is a Janata Dal (Secular) leader and the grandson of party patriarch and ex-Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda, and nephew of senior leader and ex-Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy.

He is also the sitting MP from Karnataka’s Hassan Lok Sabha seat, which he has been nominated to defend in the 2024 general election. The JDS is allied with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s BJP.

Revanna’s message – his first public comment on charges against him – comes after a warning from Deve Gowda, who told his grandson to return home and surrender “or face your family’s anger”.

READ | “Surrender Or Face My Anger”: Deve Gowda To Grandson Revanna

Deve Gowda said he had warned Revanna to “not test my patience” and that it took him time to recover from the “shock and pain”. The former Prime Minister – targeted by the ruling Congress, former allies turned political rivals, over claims it was he sent Revanna abroad – stressed he had called for “the harshest punishment under the law” for his grandson “if (he is) found guilty…”

I have issued a warning to @iPrajwalRevanna to return immediately from wherever he is and subject himself to the legal process. He should not test my patience any further. pic.twitter.com/kCMuNJOvAo

— H D Deve Gowda (@H_D_Devegowda) May 23, 2024

Revanna’s uncle, HD Kumaraswamy, has also made an appeal.

READ | “If You Have Respect…”: HD Kumaraswamy’s Appeal To Revanna

The ex-Chief Minister last week also appealed to his nephew. “I have openly appealed to him… told him, ‘if you have respect for the party and Deve Gowda, come back…’ Cooperate with the probe. If you have not done anything prove it. If you have, then face the punishment,” Revanna was told.

READ | Deve Gowda Sent Grandson Abroad: Siddaramaiah On Ex-PM’s Letter

Revanna’s return home may be complicated by the fact the Ministry of External Affairs is set to cancel his diplomatic passport. A request to this effect has been made by the state government.

The centre is in the process of cancelling the travel document, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has said. Mr Jaishankar also took the chance for a jibe against Karnataka’s ruling Congress, declaring the request to cancel the passport was made only on May 21, several days after the scandal broke.

NDTV Analysis | Systemic Failure In Not Forcing Revanna To Face Law

The Congress and the BJP have attacked each other over the Revanna case.

The former has pointed to the alliance between the BJP and the JDS to claim Prajwal Revanna is being shielded, while the latter has criticised the state government for delayed reactions.

Prajwal Revanna – who faces an arrest warrant from a MP/MLA court – has denied all charges.

Bengaluru:

Former Karnataka Chief Minister and JD(S) second-in-command H D Kumaraswamy on Monday alleged that 40 phones including his own and those of his family members and supporters are being tapped.

Even as he made an appeal to his nephew and Hassan JD(S) MP Prajwal Revanna to come back to the country, Mr Kumaraswamy accused the government of spying on himself and his family.

Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar and Home Minister Dr G Parameshwara dismissed the allegation as baseless and a means to gain publicity.

“Our phones are being tapped. I know it. Forty phones of people around me are being tapped. Whatever discussions are happening on phone are being monitored. H D Revanna’s phone is also being tapped,” Mr Kumaraswamy alleged.

Mr Revanna is H D Kumaraswamy’s brother who was released on bail in kidnapping and sexual assault cases.

The JD(S) ‘first family’ is in trouble after a huge cache of explicit videos showing many women being sexually assaulted and filmed allegedly by Prajwal became public.

Prajwal, grandson of former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda and son of Revanna, is hiding in a foreign country as the Karnataka government formed a Special Investigation Team to probe the case.

The 33-year-old JD(S) leader is the NDA’s Lok Sabha candidate from Hassan, against whom an arrest warrant has been issued by a court. Interpol has also issued a Blue Corner Notice seeking information on his whereabouts.

Mr Kumaraswamy appealed publicly to his nephew to return to India and cooperate with the investigation.

“Come back to India and cooperate with the investigation. How long this ‘police and thief’ game will go on? Your grandfather always wanted you to grow politically. If you want to honour his reputation, then come back to India,” he said.

He added that he has asked his brother Revanna to help bring back his son.

Mr Kumaraswamy, who is the JD(S) state president, claimed that if he knew beforehand about the explicit videos and sexual assault cases, he would not have allowed him to flee the country.

He also apologised to the victims of the sexual assault case.

“I once again publicly apologise to my mothers and sisters who are passing through painful mental agony. I understand their sufferings,” the JD(S) second-in-command said.

“I would like to say that many such cases have happened. The intensity of such cases may be high or low. It is such a case which is unacceptable and makes us hang our heads in shame,” he noted.

Accusing DCM Shivakumar of being the “architect” (“sutradhari”) of distribution of thousands of pen drives carrying the sexual assault videos, Mr Kumaraswamy said, “You (Shivakumar) are the lead person for distributing those pen drives. Case should be filed against Shivakumar and Shivarame Gowda.” The JD(S) leader was referring to an audio going viral in which senior Congress leader L R Shivarame Gowda is purportedly heard telling BJP leader G Devaraje Gowda to distribute pen drives containing the explicit videos.

“Distribute the pen drive and put the blame on Mr Kumaraswamy, creating an impression that he wanted to promote his son (Nikhil Kumaraswamy),” Shivarame Gowda has purportedly said in the audio.

He further allegedly “advised” Devaraje Gowda not to underestimate the JD(S) first family, including former PM Deve Gowda, Mr Kumaraswamy and other members of his family.

“The government is committed to ruin their (Deve Gowda and his family) lives. I am surprised why Deve Gowda has not died by suicide yet,” Shivarame Gowda is allegedly heard telling Devaraje Gowda in the audio clip.

In response, Devaraje Gowda allegedly told him that sharing these videos would badly affect the lives of many women. To this, Shivarame Gowda allegedly replied that there was no need to bother about it.

The JD(S) took to social media saying that the audio makes clear the intention of the Congress to finish Deve Gowda’s family.

Dismissing the accusation of phone tapping, Shivakumar, who is also Congress Karnataka unit president, said Mr Kumaraswamy and Revanna were not terrorists to warrant such action.

Speaking to reporters at his residence, he said, “Government taps phones of terrorists with due processes. There is no need to tap the phones of political leaders in the state. They are casting these aspersions for publicity.” He also said he has nothing to do with the “pen drive case”.

Home Minister Parameshwara too rejected the charge of phonetapping.

“I deny it totally. If he has any proof that his phone is being tapped by so and so… (he should bring it forward),” he told reporters in Hubballi.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Hassan, Karnataka:

Arrested BJP leader G Devaraje Gowda alleged on Friday that Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar offered him Rs 100 crore to malign the names of former Chief Minister and JDS state President HD Kumaraswamy and Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Speaking to reporters from the police vehicle after being sent to judicial custody on Friday, Devaraje Gowda claimed that Mr Shivakumar even sent him Rs 5 crore as advance.

“After I refused the offer, police cases were lodged against me and I was arrested. I am ready to expose him (DK Shivakumar) once I am released. The Congress government is going to collapse in Karnataka,” he claimed.

Devaraje Gowda added, “I was told to make a statement that it was HD Kumaraswamy who circulated the pen drives containing sex videos (involving Kumaraswamy’s nephew Prajwal Revanna, the grandson of ex-PM HD Deve Gowda). But it was DK Shivakumar who obtained the pen drive from Karthik Gowda, who worked as a driver for Prajwal Revanna, and planned the entire episode.”

A team of four ministers, including N Cheluvarayaswamy, Krishna Byre Gowda, and Priyank Kharge, was formed to handle the developments relating to the sex video scandal, Devaraje Gowda claimed.

“They had planned in a big way to bring disrepute to Prime Minister Modi, HD Kumaraswamy, and the BJP. They offered me Rs 100 crore and sent Rs 5 crore as advance to Room No. 110 at Bowring Club. A local leader from Channarayapatna, Gopalaswamy, was sent to negotiate the deal,” Devaraje Gowda claimed.

“DK Shivakumar made the Rs 100 crore offer to malign the name of Prime Minister Modi by linking him to the sex scandal. Shivakumar’s main objective is to finish Kumaraswamy politically,” he added.

“When I refused to be a part of their plans, they first fixed me in an atrocity case, but couldn’t find any evidence. Later, they fixed me in a sexual harassment case. When this ploy also failed, they lodged a rape case against me. I was interrogated for four days, but they couldn’t get anything,” he claimed.

“I have the audio recordings of Shivakumar’s conversations. I will release them and the Congress government will collapse once I am out of prison,” Devaraje Gowda claimed as the police vehicle drove off.

On May 6, Devaraje Gowda claimed that Shivakumar was behind the release of the pen drive containing videos of sexual assault.

He also said that Prime Minister Modi was Congress’ main target.

“I do not trust the Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the sex scandal. I will submit all the evidence to the CBI. The videos in my possession are different from those which have been released,” he had claimed.

Devaraje Gowda was arrested by the Karnataka police six days ago in a sexual harassment and atrocity case.
 

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Bengaluru:

Janata Dal (Secular) leader H D Kumaraswamy on Tuesday alleged that there was a “big whale” behind the leaking of explicit videos of women being sexually abused allegedly by his nephew and party MP from Hassan, Prajwal Revanna.

Mr Kumaraswamy’s swipe was apparently against Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar.

Talking to reporters about the Prajwal Revanna case, the JDS second-in-command said an MLA from Mandya had said ‘large whales’ were behind releasing the video.

Asked to explain who the ‘big whale’ is, Mr Kumaraswamy said, “Who else is it? Today an MLA from Mandya spoke about a ‘big whale’. Whatever the ‘big whale’ is saying, the same is followed by the ‘small whales’.”

He said that, after listening to the arguments of the lawyers, it appears prima facie that the arrest of MLA H D Revanna, Mr Kumaraswamy’s brother, was “politics of hate”.

The government initiated action against Mr Revanna to spoil the reputation of former Prime Minister Deve Gowda, the former chief minister alleged.

He asked how anyone would catch the ‘big whale’ when he is in government.

Reacting to Mr Kumaraswamy’s remarks, Mr Shivakumar said, “Let him (Mr Kumaraswamy) arrest and swallow the ‘big whale’. I am neither director nor producer. I am only an exhibitor, theatre exhibitor.”

On Mr Kumaraswamy’s charges that Mr Revanna was arrested to defame Deve Gowda, the deputy chief minister said, “Not at all. See, I too feel sorry for him (Mr Revanna). I too feel that such things should not happen. It’s such a big family. Let them think whatever they want but I don’t wish anything bad for anyone and I don’t need it.”

Mr Shivakumar, who is also Congress Karnataka unit president, said he believed in the law of nature and he too had suffered a lot.

“I too faced political conspiracy. I know how strong and full of self-confidence I am. That’s the reason that god protected me,” he said.

Mr Revanna, who is the elder son of JDS patriarch and former Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda, was arrested along with his confidant Sathish Babanna for allegedly abducting a woman on April 29.

The case was registered on a complaint filed by the woman’s son, who alleged that his mother was sexually abused by Mr Revanna’s son and JDS MP Prajwal Revanna.

The woman was allegedly abducted to prevent her from testifying against the younger Mr Revanna, police sources said.

The explicit videos of alleged sexual abuse by Prajwal Revanna had been making the rounds on social media, and the government formed the SIT on April 28 to probe the case after the Karnataka State Commission for Women wrote a letter to the Chief Minister Siddaramaiah seeking an investigation into it.

The 33-year-old, who was the NDA candidate in the Hassan Lok Sabha constituency, reportedly left the country on April 27, a day after the elections, and has skipped the SIT summons to appear before it.

Interpol has issued a Blue Corner Notice against the “absconding” MP, who is facing sexual abuse charges.

A Blue Corner Notice is issued to collect information from member countries about a person’s identity, location or activities in relation to a crime.

HD Revanna was released on bail on Tuesday.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Bengaluru:

 In a twist to the sex video scandal in Karnataka involving JDS MP Prajwal Revanna, the National Commission for Women (NCW) said on Thursday that one of the woman complainants in the case has claimed that she was forced by a group of people claiming to be cops to lodge a false complaint after being threatened with harassment.

Taking a cue from the NCW’s allegation, former Chief Minister and JDS state President H.D. Kumaraswamy on Thursday night accused the Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the case of threatening the victims with prostitution to extract false statements.

The SIT officers are threatening the victims that if they don’t make statements in favour of the Congress government, they will be charged with prostitution, the JDS leader claimed.

“The investigating officers are going to the doorsteps of the victims and threatening them. Tell us, isn’t it a fact that the SIT officers are threatening the victims with false prostitution cases against them? Is this how the probe is being conducted,” Mr Kumaraswamy questioned Revenue Minister Krishna Byre Gowda, who earlier described the sex video scandal as the biggest sex scandal in the world.

“Where have you kept the rescued woman who was kidnapped? Why is she not being produced before the court? Do you support the act of distribution of private videos of the victims,” Mr Kumaraswamy asked Mr Gowda,

Hassan MP Prajwal Revanna is the grandson of former Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda, and son of JD-S MLA H.D. Revanna, who has been arrested for his alleged role in the kidnapping of a victim of the sex scandal involving his son. Mr Kumaraswamy is the younger brother of H.D. Revanna.

Stating that there is no question of defending Prajwal Revanna, Mr Kumaraswamy said, “Everyone should respect the law and the guilty should be punished. H.D. Deve Gowda has four sons and two daughters. We have our own businesses and families. I had gone to Hassan only at the time of the Assembly elections.”

Meanwhile, Karnataka Home Minister G. Parameshwara defended the SIT probe, saying that it is functioning efficiently.

The state government doesn’t need to reply to all the allegations being levelled by the JDS, he said.

“The SIT is conducting a probe and the state government has taken the matter seriously,” he added.

“I can’t answer everyone. If they have a complaint against the SIT, let them file it. The investigation is underway and once the report is submitted, all the details will be made available. If the victims are blackmailed over the videos, action would be initiated against the guilty,” Mr Parameshwara said.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

New Delhi:

Prajwal Revanna, the Janata Dal (Secular) MP who has been suspended from the party and grandson of former Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda, faces the risk of being forsaken by his uncle HD Kumaraswamy after purported obscene videos – hundreds of them – of Prajwal Revanna went viral.

In an interview to NDTV, Mr Kumaraswamy said he will not protect anyone, including Prajwal Revanna, if found guilty.

The former Karnataka Chief Minister, however, distanced himself from the scandal on the grounds that it was Prajwal Revanna’s “personal matter” which the Congress is using to malign the entire family.

Yet, in a bizarre turn, Mr Kumaraswamy directed questions on who released the video.

“Who is the culprit? Who released the video? Who are the persons behind it? Are they saviours of women? Don’t worry, we will take action,” he told reporters when confronted with questions on a huge number of extremely obscene videos in circulation.

He quickly amended, “Not only as an uncle, but as a citizenship, a common man, we have to move further. This is a shameful issue. I am not protecting any person. We have protested.”

He declined to comment whether Prajwal Revanna would be suspended from the Janata Dal (Secular), or JD(S), which is an ally of the BJP for the Lok Sabha elections. Prajwal Revanna is the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) candidate from Hassan.

“Who is running the government? The government must take the responsibility to investigate and come out with the real picture. That has to be exposed by the government, not by me,” Mr Kumaraswamy said.

Mr Kumaraswamy alleged the video scandal is meant to “malign our family”.

“This issue they will not take any decision I know. These people have done several times like this. Their only intention is to malign our family… finish the JD(S) and destroy the alliance between JD(S) and BJP,” he said.

Prajwal Revanna has denied the allegations and filed a police complaint too, saying the obscene videos in circulation were morphed. He left for Germany on Saturday morning after voting in the Lok Sabha elections.

A woman has also filed a police case against him and his father, HD Revanna, over alleged sexual assault.

Former Karnataka Chief Minister and Congress leader Veerappa Moily took a hit at JD (S) Chief HD Deve Gowda and his son JDS-BJP candidate HD Kumaraswamy and said that the Congress made a mistake by supporting the duo from the Gowda family.

Veerappa Moily said that the Congress party supported and put the most “undeserving” people to power as the Karnataka Chief Minister and the Prime Minister of the country.

Reacting to HD Kumaraswamy’s claims of Congress treating the JD (S) badly, Veerappa Moily said,” I guess he is right. We made Deve Gowda the Prime Minister by giving him the support of 200 MPs. Yes, we made a mistake by making Kumaraswamy the chief minister (of Karnataka). We made the most underserving people the PM and the CM.”

This comes after HD Kumaraswamy in a podcast with ANI, claimed that the Congress party treated the JD (S) poorly.

While discussing Deve Gowda’s political journey, HD Kumaraswamy said, “In 2018 Deve Gowda ji joined hands with Congress. Throughout his career of 60-62 years, he has always aligned with secular forces. By using regional parties, Congress has destroyed several regional parties. Congress has humiliated Deve Gowda ji in several ways.”

“In 1995, when this United Front supported Devagoda Ji as a PM candidate, they (the Congress) did not. When they removed him, they had no reason at all. Even at that time, he also supported Inder Kumar Gujral. In 2004, again, they ditched Deve Gowda Ji. That time also, he respected Congress, even though, at that time, Arun Jaitley met him to join hands with BJP. Deve Gowda ji rejected it. At that time, he also joined hands with Congress and after joining, he watched how they treated him for 20 months. Even at that time, the health of Deve Gowda Ji deteriorated,” he added.

When asked why his party did that, he said he made several wrong decisions by trusting his Congress friends. “I am totally against Congress. I know how they are going to treat us and how they treated me as the Chief Minister.”

Hitting back at the Congress’ remark where it slammed the JD (S) for joining hands with the NDA and opined that the party should write to the Election Commission and drop the word ‘secular’ from their party’s name, HD Kumaraswamy said, “What is the meaning of secularism? I wanted to question the Congress. Every day they are misusing the caste composition; they are using the caste composition and they want to get benefit from it for their party.”

Karnataka, which has 28 Lok Sabha seats, will vote in two phases on April 26 and May 7.

In the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, the Congress and JD(S) fought together against the BJP. The BJP had won a record 25 seats; Congress and JD(S) won just one seat each.

The Lok Sabha Elections 2024 are being held in seven phases starting on April 19.

The counting of votes is on June 4.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Amid speculations of the merger of Janata Dal-Secular with the BJP, former Karnataka Chief Minister and JDS-BJP candidate HD Kumaraswamy said on Saturday that if everything goes smoothly, there is no question of JDS being absorbed into the BJP and they will work together.

In an exclusive interview with ANI, HD Kumaraswamy said, “There is no question of merging our party with any other party. Categorically, I am telling you. There is no question. If the BJP treats us well and everything goes smoothly, there is no question of JDS being absorbed into the BJP. We will work together.”

“I would like to tell Siddaramaiah that even if 100 Siddaramaiahs come against us, they can’t do anything to our party. They can’t damage it,” he said.

Going back in time, in 2006, HD Kumaraswamy rebelled and walked out of the JD(S)-Congress coalition with 42 MLAs, reportedly against the wishes of his father, former PM and JD(S) patriarch HD Deve Gowda, citing a threat to the party, and formed the government with the BJP.

He was asked whether inviting Deve Gowda to the ”Pran Pratishtha” ceremony can be considered a personal connection between PM Modi and Deva Gowda, which led to the BJP-JD(S) alliance. HD Kumaraswamy elaborated on the dynamics between PM Modi and Deve Gowda, stating, “When Narendra Modi ji entered national politics, at that time Deve Gowda was one of the main critics of PM Modi’s national entry. Then, despite whatever he said at that time, after Modi Ji became PM, he went to meet him. Deve Gowda ji wanted to resign from his MP constituency, but Narendra Modi ji advised him that his advice was required and he must continue in parliament. This is the respect shown by the Prime Minister for Deve Gowda ji. After assuming the role of Prime Minister, they met several times, and each time the PM showed respect to Deve Gowda ji and sought his advice.”

He also discussed Deve Gowda’s political journey. “In 2018 Deve Gowda ji joined hands with Congress. Throughout his career of 60-62 years, he has always aligned with secular forces. By using regional parties, Congress has destroyed several regional parties. Congress has humiliated Deve Gowda ji in several ways.”

“In 1995, when this United Front supported Deve Gowda Ji as a PM candidate, they (the Congress) did not. When they removed him, they had no reason at all. Even at that time, he also supported Inder Kumar Gujral. In 2004, again, they ditched Deve Gowda Ji. That time also, he respected Congress, even though, at that time, Arun Jaitley met him to join hands with BjP. Deve Gowda ji rejected it. At that time, he also joined hands with Congress and after joining, he watched how they treated him for 20 months. Even at that time, the health of Deve Gowda Ji deteriorated,” he added.

He said, “Then, in 2009, he joined hands with the third front. That is a different issue. Then, even after Deve Gowda ji handed over the power to the BJP at that time again, his Congress friend wanted to split our party. Continuously, they were trying to destroy our party. Even after this, Deve Gowda Ji joined hands with Congress only.”

When asked why his party did that, he said he made several wrong decisions by trusting his Congress friends. “I am totally against Congress. I know how they are going to treat us and how they treated me as the Chief Minister.”

Hitting back at the Congress’ remark where it slammed the JD (S) for joining hands with the NDA and opined that the party should write to the Election Commission and drop the word ‘secular’ from their party’s name, HD Kumaraswamy said, “What is the meaning of secularism? I wanted to question the Congress. Every day they are misusing the caste composition; they are using the caste composition and they wanted to get benefit from it for their party.”

“According to me, there is no meaning to secularism or communalism. For example, let’s talk about DMK. They joined hands with the Centre, with both the Congress and the BJP. Whatever the reason was, they took the decision in their own interest, not for secularism or communalism,” he said.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Bengaluru (Karnataka):

An FIR has been lodged against Janata Dal (Secular) leader and NDA candidate from Mandya HD Kumaraswamy on Saturday on grounds of “false statements” in connection with elections.

The FIR has been filed under Section 123(4) of RP Act and 171(G) of IPC.

“FIR is registered against HD Kumaraswamy of JDS by the FST of Gubbi, Tumkuru, on the grounds of false statements in connection with elections. FIR No. 149/2024 is registered at Gubbi PS u/s 123(4) of RP Act and 171(G) of IPC,” Karnataka Chief Electoral Officer’s official handle shared in a post on X.

FIR is registered against HD Kumaraswamy of JDS by the FST of Gubbi, Tumkuru on the grounds of false statements in connection with elections. FIR No.149/2024 is registered at Gubbi PS u/s 123(4) of RP Act and 171(G) of IPC.

— Chief Electoral Officer, Karnataka (@ceo_karnataka) April 20, 2024

Earlier in the day, FIR was also lodged against Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister and Congress leader DK Shivakumar for allegedly violating the Model Code of Conduct.

The polling in Karnataka for the 28 seats in the 18th Lok Sabha will be held on April 26 and May 7 in the second and third phases, respectively.

The counting of votes will take place on June 4.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Mandya (Karnataka):

JD(S) leader H D Kumaraswamy has said he is sincerely working for NDA’s better prospects in the upcoming Lok Sabha polls and the continuation of alliance with BJP, after the parliamentary elections, will depend on how his party and its leaders are treated.

The former Chief Minister further said that given an opportunity and if Prime Minister Narendra Modi has confidence in him, he wants to be the agriculture minister, in the event of NDA coming back to power at the Centre.

In an exclusive interview to PTI Videos, after filing his nomination from Mandya on Thursday, the state JD(S) President said: “We being part of the NDA depends on how our party leaders are treated in the future. We are sincerely working and we want a long-standing relationship with BJP. But ultimately we will take a decision depending on how we are treated and how much respect we get from the BJP.”

JD(S) headed by former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda joined the BJP-led NDA in September last year.

As part of the seat-sharing agreement, the BJP would contest in 25 constituencies and the JD(S) in the remaining three — Mandya, Hassan and Kolar — in Karnataka.

Mr Kumaraswamy, son of Gowda, made no secret of his desire to become Union Agriculture Minister.

“It is not only the aspirations of people of Mandya to see me as union minister, even my BJP friends feel that it will be good for the state if I become a minister. I come from an agricultural background and given an opportunity I want to be the agriculture minister and bring a good name for the government. If the Prime Minister believes that I can do good work and if I am given an opportunity I want to work in the agricultural sector,” he said.

The JD(S) leader, who is an MLA from Channapatna in the neighbouring Ramanagara district, said he was under a lot of pressure from the people of Mandya to contest from there.

“We have entered into an alliance with BJP to fight for better prospects for Karnataka and not for political survival. It is going to be mutually beneficial for both the BJP and JD(S). The Congress took advantage of the vote-split between us in the last (Assembly) election, we realised the mistake and we have decided to fight the Congress together,” he said.

Stating that it is BJP which is the “natural ally” of JD(S) and not the Congress, Mr Kumaraswamy said his party has always fought the grand old party for the last 50 years.

“Our last alliance with BJP (for 20 months from January 2006), when I was the Chief Minister was a good period and because of some misunderstanding and some misdeeds of miscreants we had to part ways,” he said, adding that leaders of parties and cadres are now sincerely working for each other.

“This time around there is a lot of positivity, energy and synergy between us. Be it (B S) Yediyurappa (BJP veteran) or Deve Gowda (JDS patriarch) or be it any of us. We all are working for each other to see to it that the NDA alliance gets all the 28 seats in Karnataka,” he added.

Mr Kumaraswamy also said the Congress in Karnataka had messed up the state’s finances because of its guarantee schemes and the government doesn’t have any funds for capital expenditure or development.

“Having mismanaged the finances now they are pointing fingers at the Centre over discrepancy in refund of GST and other grants,” he alleged. 

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)