BENGALURU: In a surprise move, state JD(S) chief H.D. Kumaraswamy has reposed faith in members of his old team, who had drifted away following differences with the leader, and inducted them into a core committee constituted to oversee preparations for forthcoming elections to BBMP.
Interestingly, former ministers N Cheluvarayaswamy and B.Z. Zameer Ahamed Khan, and Mr H.G. Balakrishna and Mr Puttanna, identified as “dissatisfied souls” have gained prominence in the core committee constituted at the behest of patriarch H.D. Deve Gowda. With this move, Mr Kumaraswamy has sent a signal about his willingness to work with the team which backed him when he took over as Chief Minister.
Sources in the party said last week, Mr Gowda had convened a meeting of leaders of the party’s city unit where Mr Zameer Ahamed Khan along with two other MLAs, Mr Akhanda Srinivas Murthy and Mr Gopalaiah, were also present. Mr Gowda suggested to Mr Kumaraswamy to form a committee along with former state unit president Mr Narayana Rao.
Mr Zameer Ahamed Khan pointed out that some state-level leaders were also essential, in particular those representing districts around Bengaluru. Among those included outside Bengaluru is Mr Shakeel Ahamed, the minority wing leader. Though Mr Cheluvarayaswamy belongs to Nagamangala in Mandya district, he could woo voters from Nagamangala but employed in Bengaluru. Ditto with Mr Balakrishna Mr Puttanna. Mr Kumaraswamy has prepared a vision document for Bengaluru city, which would be the manifesto for BBMP polls.
