Start preparing for state polls, they may come anytime: Nikhil Kumaraswamy

Bengaluru: Indicating ‘lack of trust’ between the coalition partners, Karnataka Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy’s son Nikhil Kumaraswamy, in a viral video, is purportedly seen asking JD(S) workers to prepare themselves for the assembly polls.

In the video that has gone viral on social media, he is heard telling his party men that the elections may come anytime, be it next year or after two or three years.

“We need to start now only. We should not say we will do it later. We have to prepare from the next month onwards. We do not know when it (election) comes, next year, after two years or three years. JD(S) leaders should be ready,” Nikhil says in the video.

Nikhil, who lost the recent Lok Sabha poll from Mandya to BJP-backed independent candidate Sumalatha Ambareesh in a fiercely fought contest, however, said there was no threat to the government and his father will complete the tenure.

“There is no problem to the government. It will complete (its tenure). You get tensed due to reports in media. It is not like that. We know what is there inside (the government). Kumaranna (Kumaraswamy) will run (the government) for the next four years too,” he said.

The video of Nikhil speaking to Janata Dal (Secular) workers in Mandya two days ago was first shared by party worker Sunil Gowda Dandiganahalli.

Nikhil’s statement comes close on the heels of A H Vishwanath’s resignation as state JD(S) chief after owning “moral responsibility” for the party’s debacle in the Lok Sabha polls and flaying the functioning of the coalition government.