HD Kumaraswamy busy talking to JD(S) MLAs on getting actor-son to LS from Mandya
Bengaluru: While the Congress is busy trying to keep its house in order post the cabinet expansion tremors caused by disgruntled legislators, Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy is busy holding consultations with his party MLAs for the safe launch of his son Nikhil Kumaraswamy into politics by making him contest from Mandya Lok Sabha constituency.
Recently, when the coalition partner Congress was busy keeping its flock of MLAs together by bundling them into two resorts on the Bengaluru- Mysuru highway, Mr Kumaraswamy had his party MLAs, MLCs and ministers of Mandya, Mysuru and Chamarajanagar districts get a ground report on the prospects of his son in the event of he contesting from Mandya. After the launch of a teaser of Mr Nikhil 's recent movie 'Sitarama Kalyana,' the Chief Minister spent a whole night with senior leaders requesting them to strive hard for the victory of his son from Mandya.
A Janata Dal (Secular) MLC told Deccan Chronicle on the condition of anonymity that Mr Kumaraswamy had a free wheeling discussion with all of them to know about the prevailing situation in Mandya and also about the prospects if Mr Nikhil contests from Mysuru-Kodagu since the JD(S) does not have a good candidate there. They suggested that Mr Kumaraswamy field his son from Mandya as the party had swept all seven Assembly seats in last year's election.
On the possibility of Mr Nikhil contesting from Mysuru-Kodagu Lok Sabha seat, the JD(S) legislators opined that it would be risky as former CM Siddaramaiah is still nursing his wounds after being defeated by JD(S) candidate G.T. Deve Gowda in Chamundeshwari assembly constituency last year, which could also prevent Congress workers from working for Mr Nikhil.
Besides, the JD(S) had lost its base in the hilly district of Kodagu and BJP is quite strong in Mysuru and Kodagu city. In the current political situation, it would be a better bet to make Nikhil contest from Mandya than Mysuru-Kodagu.
The MLC said the CM frankly admitted that he had the full responsibility of introducing his son to politics through Mandya Lok Sabha constituency due to lack of support from other family members. Besides, it was a golden opportunity for his son's debut from Mandya because he had party legislators in all seven assembly seats in Mandya and also in KR Nagar in Mysuru district.
The legislators told Mr Kumaraswamy to request his son to visit all the assembly seats in Mandya to get a feel of the public mood to which the CM has reportedly agreed.
According to sources, the CM said he would demand the Mandya seat for the JD(S) and give the Mysuru seat to Congress if both parties agreed to fight the elections together.
