Bengaluru: As CM H.D. Kumaraswamy heli-hopped on Monday with his son Nikhil Kumaraswamy's B-form to Sringeri to offer pooja ahead of the latter's electoral debut in Mandya Lok Sabha constituency, confusion gripped JD (S) over the parliamentary seat that paterfamilias H.D. Deve Gowda will finally stand from.
With Mr Gowda keeping the choice of his constituency close to his chest, his elder son-minister H D Revanna and grandson Prajwal Revanna, whom the former prime minister had introduced as the party candidate from his home turf, Hassan only last week-added fuel to the fire by inviting him to contest from the same seat to mark 60 years in politics. Mr Revanna also rushed to Mr Kumaraswamy's residence in the morning for a quick meeting before the latter's departure for Sringeri. The family is expected to meet
Monday night to discuss strategy and perhaps even persuade Mr Gowda to contest from Hassan rather than Tumakuru or Bengaluru (North). Sources close to Mr Gowda's family, however, indicated that there's more to the 'return to Hassan' move than meets the eye as the party could find it tough to field formidable candidates in two of the eight seats allotted to it as part of the seat-sharing pact with its coalition partner, Congress.
Secondly, doubts persist among some members of the family about Lingayats and Kuruba votes going in favour of BJP candidate and former minister A Manju if Prajwal does contest from Hassan as announced, and therefore the need for Mr Gowda to stand from this constituency. A few others in the family were concerned about the political career of Prajwal, in case he makes way for his grandfather in forthcoming general elections.
Some others felt it was Mr Gowda's strategy to force the Congress to part with Mysuru, the home turf of former chief minister Siddaramaiah, in order to may way for his entry into the contest, and simultaneously work for the success of his other grandson Nikhil Kumaraswamy in neighbouring Mandya constituency, where Mrs Sumalatha Ambareesh, poses a tough challenge as an independent contestant, backed by Congress stalwarts and the BJP.
