Mangalore, March 24: Condemning the statement of Udupi district JDS President Deviprasad Shetty that JDS lost the Udupi-Chikmagalur bypolls due to the 'betrayal' of minorities, the Dakshina Kannada district minorities cell of the party has demanded that Shetty take back his words.
Addressing media persons at a press briefing in Mangalore on Saturday, D M Aslam, President, DK JDS Minorities Cell, said that Deviprasad Shetty, has wrongly stated that it was the lack of minority votes that cost the party a victory.
“The minorities of DK and Udupi districts have a lot of regard for Deve Gowda and HD Kumaraswamy. But they knew that JDS didn't stand a chance in Udupi. They wanted to teach BJP a lesson and therefore Congress benefited. The Congress and the BJP have some base in Udupi district while we start from the scratch. That we got 70,000 odd votes is actually an achievement. We are still in the process of strengthening the party in the district. Our party hardly has any representation in the Panchayats and other bodies in Udupi district. To put the blame entirely on minorities is wrong”, he said.
Mr. Aslam also questioned as to why Mr. Shetty does not speak about votes of other communities although their leaders had campaigned in the constituency. “Can Mr. Shetty answer as to why Bunts did not vote for JDS? Can he answer as to why Billavas did not vote for JDS although Madhu Bangarappa had campaigned? Why blame only the minorities?” he asked.
Abdul Azeez, Corporator, on the occasion expressed doubt if Mr. Shetty's own family members had voted for JDS. “His own family might have voted for the candidate belonging to their caste”, he said.
Maintaining that minority votes should not be taken for granted, Mr. Azeez said that BJP's candidate Sunil Kumar who had stated that his party does not need minority votes, has learnt his lesson.
Though Mr Shetty submitted resignation for the post of the district unit of the party following the defeat in bypolls, it was not accepted.
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