Former MLA Yagati Suryanarayana Venkatesha Datta popularly known as YSV Datta on Sunday announced that he would contest as an independent candidate from Kadur assembly constituency in Chikkamagaluru district.
YSV Datta, once a close aide of former Prime Minister HD Deve Gowd, quit the JD(S) in January after Congress reportedly promised him of ticket from Kadur. According to party sources, internal differences with Deve Gowda’s family forced him to quit JD(S).
Datta was hoping to contest from Congress but the party announced the ticket to KS Anand. Upset with denial of the ticket, Datta after a meeting with his supporters in Kadur on Sunday declared that he would contest as an independent candidate.
According to sources, Datta was denied ticket by KPCC working president DK Shivakumar. Addressing party workers, Datta said, “I don’t have crores to spend and bribe voters to win the election. Hence, I’m begging for alms by placing a towel in front of my supporters.”
Dutta, who had called a meeting on Sunday with his supporters, expressed regret over the injustice meted out to him by the Congress. Also, he asked the workers about his next course of action. It is learnt that all of them expressed the opinion that Congress and JDS should be taught a proper lesson by contesting in this election. Though JDS leaders, MP Prajwal Revanna and Nikhli Kumaraswamy tried to include him in the party again, former chief minister HD Kumaraswamy is said to have not agreed for his inclusion in the party again.
‘’During the meeting, there were discussions about joining Aam Admi Party or contesting as an independent. Majority of the supporters opined that he should contest as an independent for which supporters would donate for him,” Venkatesh, a supporter of Datta, said.
He said that Datta is a popular leader and supporters donated ₹100 to ₹2 lakh cheques during the meeting. The supporters also promised to contribute more to the leader to meet the election expenditure.
“I was invited to Congress by senior leader, former chief minister Siddaramaiah and even promised me of ticket from Kadur constituency. But I never expected the party would deny ticket for me,” Datta told reporters on Sunday.
“I will contest as independent as I have thousands of supporters in the constituency. They will make me win in the election,” Datta added. Many former MLAs and sitting MLAs from other parties joined Congress to contest the Assembly elections but denial of ticket to Datta has disappointed his supporters.
Dutta, comforted by his supporters and said that he will not withdraw from the election at any cost. “Towel is my identity. I will come to your house holding a towel,” he said as he symbolically begged for alms by holding a towel to the supporters gathered.
