JD(S) leader Kumaraswamy says every Muslim will require protection and PM Modi will ensure it

At the end of his speech, he requested Muslims and Dalits not to vote for the Congress, accusing it of pursuing a divide-and-rule policy. “Muslim brothers, your protection in the future is under the leadership of Narendra Modi. A situation is inevitable in the country where every Muslim brother has to be given protection,” he said.

Kumaraswamy was among the three members of former prime minister HD Deve Gowda’s family who filed their nominations on the last day. Karnataka will vote on April 26, in the first phase of the Lok Sabha elections. Kumaraswamy’s brother-in-law Dr C N Manjunath filed his papers as the BJP candidate from the Bangalore Rural constituency and his nephew Prajwal Revanna filed his nomination as the JD(S) nominee in Hassan.

The JD(S) leader told the rally that he was contesting the poll owing to pressure from elders in Mandya. “They told me one thing, that people of the region want me to come (win). ‘If you lose this election we will hang ourselves at the Sanjay Theatre circle. We won’t do injustice’,” the former chief minister said.

Bangalore South MP Tejasvi Surya also filed his nomination on Thursday. He was flanked by Anurag Thakur, Union minister for information and broadcasting, and youth affairs and sports, and Leader of the Opposition R Ashoka.