Fan tries to end life over Nikhil Kumaraswamy's bypoll loss

Bengaluru: Channapatna JD(S) candidate Nikhil Kumaraswamy, who lost the byelection to C P Yogeshwar of Congress, on Sunday consoled a fan who reportedly attempted to die by suicide and asked him not to repeat such acts. 

Manjunath, fondly called Abhi, had even penned a letter before taking the extreme step. Nikhil, who called on Manjunath at the latter’s home in Kudloor in Channapatna, expressed shock and sadness over the incident.

“I am with you, that’s why I have come. I was upset after getting to know this. Please don’t lose heart. I will try to help you in the future. I will now provide whatever help I can,” Nikhil told Manjunath. 

“Please, look at the faces of your growing children. Even I have a three-year-old son. The children are young, let us take care of their future also. I will arrange some job opportunities for you. I might not be an MLA but this is a challenge. I will get you employed,” he added.

Assuring Manjunath that he would meet him again, Nikhil asked him not to attempt such acts again. 

Speaking to reporters, Nikhil said, “I am truly more pained by his attempt to die than by my defeat in the election. At 7.30 am, we got a message that in Valetoopu, Manjunath had consumed poison yesterday. In Channapatna, our workers and leaders have built this party with zeal. Let the admiration be there in your hearts but if it crosses the line, your families get hurt and we get very pained by it.” 

Appeal to fans

Appealing to fans and workers of the JD(S) across the state, Nikhil urged them with folded hands against expressing their admiration through such acts. 

‘Deve Gowda not in politics for power’

Reacting sharply to newly elected Channapatna MLA C P Yogeshwar’s statement that former prime minister H D Deve Gowda should retire from politics, Nikhil said Gowda was not in politics for power.

“Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said several times that Deve Gowda’s guidance is needed to build the state and the country. Gowda’s politics is not attached to power. In his 62-year-long political career, Gowda was in power for only three-and-a-half years. So, the decision on whether he should continue or retire from politics will be taken by the seven-and-a-half-crore people of the state,” he said. 

Nikhil reiterated that the JD(S) had got its traditional votes, but that the votes of a particular community went against the party.

“Deve Gowda gave reservation to a community. We tried our last attempt to take that community into confidence. But they conveyed to us that they do not require us. In future, we will take other communities into confidence,” he said in a veiled reference to the Muslim community.