Bengaluru: JD(S) legislators are mystified by the absence of their leader and former Chief Minister, H D Kumaraswamy in the budget session of the state legislature, which began Monday last. He was last seen in the House on March 18 when Chief Minister Siddaramaiah presented the Budget and has remained absent since, leaving it to deputy floor leader, Y S V Datta to fill his shoes.
While sources close to Mr Kumaraswamy said he was being treated for a dental problem for the last four days and would begin attending the session from March 28, party legislators themselves are not convinced this is entirely true. Most of them are feeling Mr Kumaraswamy’s absence as the Assembly has been rocked with protests over the government’s decision to form the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) with the BJP hogging all the limelight. JDS leaders regret they have not been able to adequately take on the government on this and other issues like the question paper leak and drought in the absence of Mr Kumaraswamy. Some believe he is discouraged by the party's unimpressive performance in all elections of late and the constant sparring with his father H.D. Deve Gowda. “He has been staying aloof from the party ever since Mr Gowda did not approve his move to enter into an understanding with the BJP in Council, BBMP and ZP/TP polls and is spending more time promoting his son, Nikhil Kumaraswamy, in films,” say some legislators. Besides, he has openly talked about returning to the world of films himself if his party fails to perform well enough in the coming Assembly polls, they note. The legislators are however keeping their fingers crossed that he will attend the session from Monday and put all speculation to rest in the interest of the party. Meanwhile, Mr Kumarswamy took a special flight to Srirangam on Thursday with his father, and returned to the city the same evening on what is being described as a personal trip to perform a puja, by some party insiders..
