Mysuru, 16 Feb

JD(S) Youth Wing Chief Nikhil Kumaraswamy will tour Mysuru district from 18 February, as the party seeks to strengthen its presence ahead of Assembly elections in 2028.

The tour comes days after JD(S) State Unit Chief and Union Minister HD Kumaraswamy said the party would groom another leader to retain the Chamundeshwari assembly segment. His son Nikhil will address party conventions at Periyapatna on 18 February, KR Nagar on 22 February, T Narasipura on 24 February, and Hunsur on 25 February, with dates for Varuna, HD Kote, and Chamundeshwari to be announced.

State JD(S) Working President and former minister Sa Ra Mahesh said the party aims to rebuild the JD(S)-BJP coalition government and strengthen grassroots support, citing public dissatisfaction with the Congress government. He criticised the State for rising debt exceeding Rs 7 lakh crore, stalled Mysuru Development Authority projects, lake encroachments, law-and-order issues, rampant drug menace, and officials’ foreign tours funded by taxpayers.

MLA GD Harishgowda urged party workers to ensure the success of the conventions, highlighting Nikhil Kumaraswamy’s 9,000km State tour to boost party membership. MLC CN Manjegowda and District JD(S) president M Ashwinkumar were present.

The tour underscores JD(S)’s strategy to consolidate its base in Mysuru’s 11 assembly segments and challenge Congress in the forthcoming elections.