JD(S) leadership under fire after drawing a blank in bypolls

Days after JD(S) drew a blank in the assembly bypolls in Karnataka, its leadership came under fire from within on Wednesday,with senior leader G T Devegowda targeting former Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy, asking him to introspect and cautioning him oflosing his popularity.

The former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda-led party that had won three of the 15 seats that went for the bypolls in the previous elections--K R Pete, Mahalakshmi Layout and Hunsur-- drew a blank this time around.

The ruling BJP on Monday swept the assembly bypolls, held on December 5, winning 12 of the 15 seats, while Congress won just two.

An Independent candidate Sharath Bachegowda, who was earlier expelled from the BJP for anti-party activities after he contested the bypoll as a rebel, emerged triumphant.

"I had said earlier also... Kumaraswamy had been Chief Minister twice. He was a Lok Sabha member. He should be cautious while speaking, speaking too much is not good....." Devegowda said.

"..... even now I would like to tell him- by speaking and tweeting certain things, don't make public opinion turn against you."
Asked whether Devegowda was behind the partys defeat in Hunsur, JD(S) state President H K Kumaraswamy on Tuesday had said "Devegowda left our party mentally quite some time ago."