Devegowda ridicules political opponents on his grandson's issue

Bangalore, Oct 27 (UNI) Former Prime Minister and Janata Dal (Secular) National President H D Devegowda today criticised his political opponents for ''stooping low'' and raising the issues of a brawl at a city hotel involving his grandson Nikhil for political mileage.

Speaking to newspersons here, he said the opposition had several weapons to beat with those in power. But it was unfortunate that the opposition leaders had stooped to a low level in this incident.

In fact the photograph published by the media was that of Prajwal, son of Public Works Minister H D Revanna and not that of Nikhil, son of Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy, he pointed out.

He said his critics should have released a proper photograph before hastily releasing the photograph of an innocent boy. '' I have nine grandchildren and I pacified the boy after noticing the error,' he added.

He said Mr Kumaraswamy's reaction to the incident was a balanced and matured one. He too endorsed the views of the Chief Minister and said the law would take its own course and there was no question of shielding anyone.

Nikhil, accompanied by his freinds, barged into a hotel and demanded food late in the night. An altercation followed when the hotel staff told them that the food was not available. After a fisticuff, both the parties had lodged complaints with the police.

Declining to comment on the Bharatiya Janata Party's growing dissatisfaction with the JD (S), he said it was for the Chief Minister to react on such issues. The party would have a meeting of top leaders involving M Rajsekhar Murthy, D Manjunath, M P Prakash on October 29 to discuss and finalise a new President for the state unit as Mr Prakash had expressed his inability to function as the President and the Home Minister. The party would soon finalise the candidate for the Chamundeshwari Assembly byelection caused by resignation of Siddaramaiah, who quit the party to join Congress.

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