JDS on backfoot over charges against Deve Gowda grandson, to suspend Prajwal Revanna

Deve Gowda's Janata Dal Secular was engaged in containing electoral damage to the party after sex videos purportedly of Hassan MP Prajwal Revanna, the former PM's grandson, went viral. Gowda's son and uncle of the Hassan MP embroiled in the row, former CM Kumaraswamy, said on Monday that JDS has decided to suspend NDA candidate Prajwal Revanna from the party, but since he was an MP, the party core committee would have to ratify the decision. The core committee will meet in Hubballi on Tuesday.

Kumaraswamy said that there was no question of defending nephew Prajwal Revanna after the sensational videos hit the state which has one more phase of Lok Sabha elections on May 7. JDS is BJP's alliance partner in Karnataka. JDS would take "merciless action" against Revanna if a special investigation team constituted to probe the case of sexual assault indicts Revanna. The videos of the Hassan MP were an embarrassment not only to the family, but also society.

Karnataka IT minister Priyank Kharge accused BJP of facilitating Revanna's escape. "It is evident that despite knowing the facts that Revanna was into these things, they gave him a ticket. They campaigned for him. They ensured that he fled the country...I'm directly blaming BJP."