Everyone in JD(S) wants H D Kumaraswamy to continue as party state President: Nikhil Kumaraswamy

JD(S) youth wing chief Nikhil Kumaraswamy on Saturday said everyone in the party is of the opinion that his father and Union Minister H D Kumaraswamy should continue as the party's state president. This statement has come amid talks that the party would soon initiate a process for appointing a new state president.

"Kumaraswamy despite becoming union minister has been functioning in a way ensuring that party organisation doesn't suffer and has been giving time towards it whenever possible amid his work of nation building. He is putting efforts beyond the limitations of his age and health for the last six to seven months," Nikhil Kumaraswamy, who is also the grandson of party patriarch and former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda said.

Addressing reporters here, Nikhil said that his father is currently recovering from a respiratory infection and is resting for a week. "The issue of changing the party's state president is irrelevant. Kumaranna (Kumaraswamy) will continue as the state president, and everyone's feeling is that he should continue, including the ordinary karyakartas," he said, adding that organisational polls are on to fill certain vacant posts, as per party constitution. Nikhil Kumaraswamy, who has suffered three straight electoral defeats, is seen as a strong contender for the state presidency.


To a question whether JD(S) will go with BJP for upcoming taluk and zilla panchayat polls, Nikhil Kumaraswamy said the leadership of both parties will take a call on it in the days ahead.

"Zilla panchayat and taluk panchayat polls are for workers of political parties, there are workers and local leaders from both parties who are aspirants to contest these polls. It has to be decided by our party leaders Deve Gowda and Kumaraswamy and BJP's state and central leadership. They may set up coordination committees at state, district and taluk levels, and give good news to workers of both parties," he said.

JD(S) had joined hands with the BJP ahead of Lok Sabha polls and had fought the parliamentary election and the Assembly by-polls in November last year, in alliance.