Bengaluru: Preetham Gowda-H D Revanna a rift out in the open

Bengaluru: He earned the wrath of JD(S) workers after he reportedly made derogatory comments on the health of their party patriarch, H D Deve Gowda and Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy.  As they responded angrily, attacking his house, BJP MLA, Preetham Gowda, who had made news not so long ago by beating the JD(S) on its turf in the last assembly poll, found the spotlight turned on him once again.

The Hassan MLA is a close associate of Chikkamagaluru BJP MLA, C T Ravi who he sees as his mentor.  Since his win, he has become a thorn in the side of Public Works Minister H.D. Revanna, who is predictably unhappy at the lotus blooming in his district. The result has been frequent skirmishes during official meetings with the officers present deferring more to Mr Revanna than the Hassan city MLA.

Having worked in software companies in Bengaluru,  Mr Preetham Gowda, who is a graduate in computer sciences, surprised many when he returned to Hassan and decided to contest from the constituency, long seen as a stronghold of the JD(S),  on a  BJP ticket .

But rising to the challenge, he carefully laid the groundwork, supplying drinking water through tankers to the people, ensuring door-to-door collection of garbage and making donations to build and renovate temples. The strategy paid off and he beat  his JD(S) MLA, who was overconfident in the last assembly poll.

But his rise in the district’s politics has not gone down well among the local JD(S) leaders, who are only too ready to attack the  BJP MLA at the slightest provocation. His alleged comments on their party supremo gave them yet another opportunity and they made the most of it, say locals.