Don’t sell your votes for a few hundred rupees: Kumaraswamy

Former Chief Minister and JD(S) State president H.D. Kumaraswamy on Sunday appealed to the public not to sell their votes for a few hundred rupees offered by election candidates.

Referring to reports of BJP candidate Narve Somashekhar distributing cash to woo voters in Sakleshpur constituency, Mr. Kumaraswamy said: “The few hundred rupees you get are not sufficient to meet your expenses for two days even. But I have worked out several plans in the interest of your future. You should vote for the JD(S).”

He was addressing a party rally at Gorur, which is part of Sakleshpur constituency. He said the JD(S) would waive farm loans, provide ₹5,000 a month to those aged 65 and above, and provide a sum of ₹6,000 to pregnant women. “I have prepared a blueprint to ensure farmers never fall into the trap of farm loans.”

Mr. Kumaraswamy said BJP candidate ‘Gym Soma’ was a resident of Bengaluru where he has been making money by offering loans for high interest rates. “If he becomes an MLA, you have to go to Bengaluru to meet him. Never expect him to respond to your problems,” he said.

On actors

He also took exception to film actors who have campaigned for various candidates. “For these actors, campaigning is also a business,” he said. Without naming Yash, the actor, he said: “He goes to Hassan and K.R. Nagar to campaign for the JD(S), campaigns for the BJP in Sakleshpur, and for the Congress candidate in some other constituency. They (actors) do not have any commitment,” he said.

The former CM appealed to the public not to go by the actors’ campaign. “Don’t believe them. They campaign for all political parties with no commitment. I do welcome them if they join any particular party and campaign for it,” he said.