Bengaluru: He was mercilessly trolled with “Nikhil Yelliddiyappa?” during the recent Parliamentary elections that he contested from Mandya. And after his defeat, it was presumed that the political career of the newest member of the Gowda clan was a non-starter.
But Nikhil Kumaraswamy surprised everyone by returning to Mandya and assuring party workers that he would be back in action.
He also began visiting senior party leaders, including state party president A.H. Vishwanath, to seek their advice on building his career. There was more surprise in store when on Tuesday he called on the new Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Jagan Mohan Reddy and congratulated him on his election. Going by sources , Nikhil has taken his career more seriously since his defeat. He has few other options considering he tried to make it in the Kannada and Telugu film industries, but failed to get the recognition he wanted.
With the JD(S) at a crossroads,with only 37 MLAs in the assembly and a miserable performance in the recent Parliamentary elections, he is believed to have now decided to do his bit to revive it. On the advice of his grandfather and JD(S) supremo, H D Deve Gowda and father, Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy he has begun meeting senior politicians,including some Congress leaders to learn from their experience, say sources.
His meeting with Mr Jaganmohan Reddy, who waged a lone battle in Andhra Pradesh after the death of his father , Y S Rajashekhar Reddy, was reportedly a part of this learning exercise. He is expected to meet more leaders of regional parties across South India, according to sources.
If they are to be believed, Nikhil could soon become an office-bearer of the party to help him get first- hand experience in handling party workers of different regions.
