Revanna, Manju spar over political past

Hassan: Two days ahead of polling, PWD minister H D Revanna and BJP candidate A Manju on Tuesday entered into a verbal spat over their political past.
While Manju claimed that he had helped former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda in the 1990s, Revanna, his son, disputed the claim.

According to Manju, Revanna is apprehensive as his son—JD(S) candidate Prajwal Revanna—will lose the polls. “It is because of this that he is attacking me and trying to win over voters,” he told reporters.

Reacting to Revanna’s charge that Manju was once associated with the underworld in Bengaluru, Manju said: “Show me the record where I was mentioned as a history-sheeter. As his brother is chief minister, let him prove me that I was a rowdy sheeter listed in any police station, not just in Bengaluru but in entire Karnataka,” he stated, denying the charge.

He said he has confidence that he will win the polls. He also referred to the complaint he had submitted against Prajwal of supressing facts in the election affidavit, which, he said, is under investigation by the Election Commission.

He said he was responsible for making Revanna the chief of Karnataka Milk Federation in 1991, which was disputed by Revanna saying it was in 1995 he became the KMF president and at that time Gowda was the chief minister. “How could have I sought his help while I was the CM’s son,” he said.

BOX

EC targeting Cong-JD(S) leaders: Revanna

Hassan: PWD minister HD Revanna alleged that the brass of the Election Commission, including the chief election commissioner, was targeting JD(S)-Congress leaders in Hassan. “They are in touch with Hassan deputy commissioner through whom they are operating,” he charged. The chief election commissioner is directly calling the deputy commissioner over phone to direct her about actions to be taken, he told reporters. He charged that the income-tax officials have ignored his complaint made through the deputy commissioner about the ill-gotten money.