‘Nikhil Kumaraswamy from K R Pet’ cry gets shriller

Bengaluru: Will former chief minister H D Kumaraswamy’s son Nikhil, who lost Lok Sabha polls earlier this year, get another chance to try his hand at electoral politics—this time from K R Pet Assembly constituency in Mandya district?

The upcoming actor is likely to be picked by JD (S) for the bypoll to fill the vacancy caused by disqualification of Narayana Gowda. Though Mr Gowda and other legislators, disqualified by the previous Speaker K R Ramesh Kumar, have moved the Supreme Court against such a decision, JD(S) workers of K R Pet taluk are reportedly mounting pressure on Mr Kumaraswamy to field his son, Mr Nikhil, and assured the former chief minister and former prime minister H D Deve Gowda to work for his success in the bypoll, according to sources in JD (S).

Sources told Deccan Chronicle the rank and file of JD (S) wanted to teach a lesson to Narayana Gowda for having joined rebels and toppling the coalition government with tacit support of the BJP. Recently, these workers removed posters and the name board of Mr Narayana Gowda from his office,and also burnt his effigy for deceiving Mr Kumaraswamy. Mr Nikhil is not ready to contest as he is yet to recover from his defeat at the hands of Sumalatha Ambareesh in Mandya Lok Sabha constituency. His father too has not handled party issues following the defeat of his confidence motion last month.

Sources said Mr Deve Gowda has taken the initiative to select potential candidates for 14 Assembly seats likely to witness bypolls within a couple of months. He, however, has not made up his mind on fielding his grandson from K R Pet constituency which includes Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa’s birth place, Bookanakere village. The ruling BJP, however, lacks a strong support base in this constituency and therefore the chances of its candidate winning this Assembly segment is remote. JD (S) patriarch will take the final call on Mr Nikhil’s candidature.  

Meanwhile, Mr Nikhil’s mother and Ramanagara JD(S) MLA Anitha Kumaraswamy acknowledged the fact that party workers are keen to work for her son’s victory in K R Pet Assembly constituency.