If Deve Gowda sticks to his plan, he will find it tough to appease his family members
The family that eats together stays together goes the popular saying. But for one of the most powerful political families of the state, the situation is more like ‘the family that contests in the polls together, stays together”.
JD(S) Supremo and former Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda and his son former Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy are often referred to as ‘kingmakers’ post polls, but now the biggest challenge before the JD(S) supremo is to see that all is well within the family.
The 85-year old patriarch is struggling to strike a balance among his family members. His recent statement that he is not interested in contesting the Lok Sabha elections next year and instead will field grandson Prajwal Revanna indicates that he sees Prajwal as his successor, who can guard the family’s Hassan fort. Sources close to the family believe that Prajwal does not seem happy with this decision and is keen on contesting the assembly polls. He is eyeing the Rajarajeshwari constituency in Bengaluru, it is learnt. His followers are learnt to have taken on to social media campaigns to express support to the ‘prince’ of the Gowda family.
Gowda had recently asserted that only two from the family (his sons) Kumaraswamy and HD Revanna, who have been in active politics for decades now, will contest polls.
Among aspirants from within the family are Kumaraswamy’s wife Anita, a former MLA, who lost Lok Sabha and Assembly polls. Revanna’s wife – Bhavani – is a Zilla Panchayat member and she also wants to be an MLA, it is learnt. Sources said ever since Prajwal has been given importance politically, supporters of Anita, who are also making attempts to bring her son actor Nikhil Gowda to political limelight believe that if Prajwal is given a ticket, then Anita is keen to contest from Channapatna.
JD(S) workers are also debating why Kumaraswamy recently announced he would contest from Channapatna and Ramanagaram. The former CM had earlier announced he would contest one seat from North Karnataka and another from South (this is why he had rented a house in Hubballi). Sources say this looks like a strategic move from Kumaraswamy. If he were to win both the seats, he may later vacate Channapatna in favour of his wife Anita. During one of the meets, Kumaraswamy had admitted he was under pressure from the party workers to field Anita from Channapatna.
Now, it looks like the total number of aspirants within the family touches six- HD Revanna, HD Kumaraswamy, Bhavani Revanna, Anita Kumaraswamy and then the third generation upcoming leaders, Nikhil Gowda and Prajwal Revanna. The battle doesn’t end here. Former Vice-Chancellor of the University of Mysore, Dr HC Rangappa is all set to contest from Chamaraja assembly seat and he happens to be the father in-law of Deve Gowda’s grand-daughter and also in the race is Gowda’s relative DC Thamanna from Maddur.
