Date:17/11/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/11/17/stories/2008111753970400.htm

Karnataka - Bangalore

JD(S) will groom second-rung leaders: Kumaraswamy

Special Correspondent

JD(S) rally to rejuvenate party
to be held today
Over three lakh people expected
to attend it

Bangalore: President of the Sate unit of the Janata Dal (Secular) and former Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy on Sunday said that the party had sufficient number of promising workers who would be groomed as second rung leaders and entrusted with the task of rejuvenating the organisation to take on the ruling party in the State for its wrong and anti-people policies.

Asked whether the leaders, who were earlier with the Janata Parivar, would be brought back into the Janata Dal (Secular) fold, he told presspersons that the opinion among the party rank and file on the issue was divided. Mr. Kumaraswamy said that there were many promising leaders working for the development of the party and that would be groomed to work more efficiently.

He said that the party had to face byelections to the eight Legislative Assembly segments and the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike Council followed by the Lok Sabha elections. The second rung leaders would be ready by the time the Lok Sabha elections would be held and they would play a crucial role in the victory to the party, he said.

Mr. Kumaraswamy, who oversaw the arrangements made for a rally to rejuvenate the party to be held here on Monday, said that it would be attended by over three lakh people, including 50,000 women, from all over the State and would prove the party detractors and critics that it was dead, was wrong.

Mr. Deve Gowda would administer the oath to Mr.Kumaraswamy along with the former ministers, office-bearers and workers to resurrect the State unit. Mr. Gowda also visited the venue and supervised the arrangements for Monday’s meeting.

The main entrance near Mekhri Circle on Bellary Road has been barred for buses and other vehicles bringing people from different districts and they have to enter the premises through the Mavinakayi, Amanullah Khan and Gayathri Gates.

A party functionary said that some 10,000 vehicles were bringing party workers and supporters and they would be supplied food packets on Bellary Road, Mysore Road, Tumkur Road and Kanakapura Road.