Tumakuru: Can G.S. Basavaraju, a seasoned politician who has won four parliamentary polls in Tumakuru, defeat former prime minister and JD(S) nominee H.D. Deve Gowda, who is testing his luck for the first time from the Lok Sabha seat?
Even as the curtains came down on campaigning for the first phase of parliamentary polls in the state on Tuesday, Mr Deve Gowda exuded confidence that he will certainly win Tumakuru adding that though he is contesting from the constituency for the first time, his contributions for the welfare of voters are well-known.
Gowda has represented Hassan Lok Sabha seat five times and once represented the erstwhile Kanakapura seat in parliament winning a by-poll. In a career spanning six decades, he served as chief minister in 1994 and went on to become prime minister.
A confident Mr Basavaraju told Deccan Chronicle on Wednesday that Deve Gowda will be defeated and cited a wave in favour of the BJP and Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He asserted that a campaign has been going on against Mr Deve Gowda especially on social networking sites that it was the JD(S) supremo who denied Tumakuru its legitimate share of Hemavathy water adding that Deve Gowda's son and PWD Minister H.D. Revanna deliberately denied water to Tumakuru in the previous year. Continuing his tirade against the Deve Gowda family, Basavaraju alleged that owing to Revanna's meddling in the release of water to Tumakuru, none of the tanks would be filled up and residents would have to search for water.
Being a native of Tumakuru, Basavaraju claimed he is familiar with every nook and corner of the parliamentary seat and wondered what Gowda knew about Tumakuru? People are talking about the availability of Deve Gowda in Tumakuru if he gets elected to parliament, he said adding, "I being a local leader will be easily accessible to voters."
Basavaraju also referred to the 'fear' of some JD(S) leaders that Deve Gowda by stepping into Tumakuru politics might have a hidden agenda- bring his son Dr Ramesh into politics and make him contest from one of the assembly seats in Tumakuru. These leaders may not work for the success of the JD(S) chief, he felt.
Despite the confidence of Mr Basavaraju, JD(S) MLA and Minister for Small Scale Industries Mr Srinivas and Congress leader and Deputy Chief Minister Dr G Parameshwar who campaigned extensively for Gowda in Tumakuru, are sure of his victory.
