The Hindu : Front Page : Deve Gowda group, Kumaraswamy hit out at Ananthamurthy's candidature

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Mar 20, 2006

Front Page

Front Page

Deve Gowda group, Kumaraswamy hit out at Ananthamurthy's candidature

Special Correspondent

The Chief Minister questions the writer's contribution to the State and Kannada

H.D. Kumaraswamy

Bangalore: Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy and the Janata Dal (Secular) led by H.D. Deve Gowda have come together to hit out at the candidature of Jnanpith Award winner U.R. Ananthamurthy in the March 28 elections to the Rajya Sabha from the State Assembly.

On his part, Dr. Ananthamurthy has said that he is a serious contender and not the one offering a token fight. He has reiterated that he is contesting to uphold the dignity and pride of Kannadigas and Karnataka.

Monday is the last date for withdrawal of nominations. The contest has become inevitable following the announcement by Dr. Ananthamurthy. There is another candidate, Rajappa Channappa, industrialist, taking the number of candidates to six for the four seats to be filled from the State.

It is becoming clear that the opposition to Dr. Ananthamurthy's candidature is because he is being backed by some of the Janata Dal (S) MLAs who are with the All-India Progressive Janata Dal and those of smaller parties who had stood by the Congress and opposed the withdrawal of support to the previous government by the Kumaraswamy group of Janata Dal (S) legislators.

Speaking to a television channel, the Chief Minister questioned Dr. Ananthamurthy's contribution to the State and even Kannada. He has not been helpful in the demand being put forth to secure classical language status for Kannada, he said.

General Secretary of the State unit of the Janata Dal (S) Y.S.V. Datta, who is a confidant of Mr. Deve Gowda, came out with a statement that no intellectual could buy Dr. Ananthamurthy's argument that he has entered the fray to uphold Kannadiga pride. However, he would not question his erudition and standing as a writer.

Mr. Datta reminded Dr. Ananthamurthy that fielding candidates from outside the State in the Rajya Sabha elections is nothing new.

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