Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru (SP)
Bengaluru, Dec 28: Former minister and state president of JD(S), H Vishwanath, has decided to step down from the post of the JD(S) state president, Speaking to a Kannada daily, he said that health issues and need to actively campaign during the coming Lok Sabha election have been compelling him to leave this post.
Vishwanath said that immediately after he assumed charge as JD(S) state president, he had got admitted into hospital for treatment. "Being the state president of the party, I am expected to tour all over the state because of ill health. We should note that JD(S) has risen to power from Hunsur constituency for the first time after a long gap and I feel that it is my duty to meet the aspirations of the people who voted for me," he explained.
H Vishwanath
Some sources claim that Vishwanath is peeved at the way things are moving in JD(S). The party is run by a family and the state presidents do not have any significance. It is said that Vishwanath feels that it would be better for him to get involved with works in his constituency rather than sitting in the post of the state president, although not being able to take any decisions independently.
But Vishwanath denies this analysis and says he can never be angry with Deve Gowda. "At a time when Siddaramaiah planned to crush my political future, people like Chikkamadu contacted me through G T Deve Gowda and brought me into this party and ensured that I won the election. I cannot be angry with Deve Gowda who filled my old age with happiness. I am also not angry with Kumaraswamy, who is running the coalition government in tune with the tenets of mutual cooperation," he explained.
He revealed that a huge meeting of JD(S) MLAs, other people's representatives, BBMP corporators and others who contested on behalf of the party in the assembly election would be held on January 3 at J P Bhavan here. "The discussion will be about the techniques to be used for the Lok Sabha election. I will speak to Deve Gowda about resignation after this meeting and then follow his advice," he stated.