While Kumaraswamy's father and former Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda is the JD(S) candidate from Tumakuru, his son Nikhil Kumaraswamy is a party candidate from Mandya
Bengaluru: Karnataka's BJP unit on Thursday requested the Election Commission to appoint central observers in Mandya, Hassan and Tumakuru Lok Sabha seats, as the party suspects that chief minister HD Kumaraswamy would misuse the state machinery to suit the electoral needs of his son, nephew and father.
BJP unit chief BS Yeddyurappa in a letter to the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) has pointed out that there are precedents of the Election Commission (EC) appointing individual central observers in addition to the present official set-up in highly-volatile constituencies.
"In the wake of heat being generated in the elections in these three constituencies owing to high profile contestants, my sincere request is the commission should appoint a central observer to each of the constituencies to guide and supervise ground-level officials in conducting elections impartially," Yeddyurappa said in his letter.
"I hope the CEC will take cognisance of my request and post senior officials as observers in these three constituencies," the former chief minister said.
While Kumaraswamy's father and former Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda is the JD(S) candidate from Tumakuru, his son Nikhil Kumaraswamy and elder brother HD Revanna's son Prajwal are party candidates from Mandya and Hassan Lok Sabha seats respectively.
Highlighting the volatility of the elections in Mandya, Hassan and Tumkur Lok Sabha constituencies, Yeddyurappa alleged there was every possibility of Kumaraswamy misusing the official state machinery to suit the electoral needs of his son, nephew and father in these three constituencies.
Pointing out that hurdles were created on the day of filing papers by independent candidate Sumalatha in Mandya Lok Sabha seat, he said, "Kumaraswamy and his party leaders have a track record of allegedly misutilising the official machinery in the past."
"In the coming days, as we approach the polling day, things may start going wayward forcing the people to suspect the conduct of elections in a free and fair manner in these three constituencies," he added.
In Mandya, Kumaraswamy's son Nikhil is pitted against multi-lingual actress Sumalatha Ambareesh, who is the widow of actor-politician MH Ambareesh.
Having been denied ticket by the Congress with Mandya going to the JD(S) due to coalition compulsions, Sumalatha is contesting as an independent candidate.
The independent candidate has the support of BJP and many disgruntled Congress leaders, who are upset over their party ceding the seat to the JD(S).
In Tumakuru, Deve Gowda is pitted against BJP's Basavaraj while Congress rebel candidate and sitting MP Muddahanumegowda has also filed his nomination as an independent.
Muddahanumegowda had filed two nominations - one as a member of Congress and another one as an independent. As the party did not grant him the B-Form, his nomination filed from Congress has been rejected by the EC.
Prajwal has been fielded against A Manju of the BJP. Manju quit Congress after the party ceded the seat to the JD(S).
Mandya, Hassan and Tumakuru will go to polls in the first phase on April 18, and the last date for withdrawal of nomination is March 29.
(With inputs from PTI)
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