Bengaluru, June 15 -- Former Prime Minister and Janata Dal (Secular) National President HD Deve Gowda on Sunday strongly rebutted allegations branding his party a family-run party and denounced ongoing criticism of his son and Union Minister HD Kumaraswamy.

Speaking at the launch of a statewide JDS tour and 'missed call' membership campaign at the party headquarters in Bengaluru, Deve Gowda said that those spreading misinformation about his party and its leaders were engaging in a coordinated smear campaign that would ultimately fail.

"Some individuals are systematically spreading false narratives against Union Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy. No one has ever succeeded in these smear campaigns, and no one will," he said.

Addressing party wor...