H D Deve Gowda to give up Hassan for grandson Prajwal?

Bengaluru: Former prime minster and Janata Dal (S) supremo H D Deve Gowda announced the entry of the third generation of his family into state politics, by saying he was fielding his grandson Prajwal Revanna from his seat  in Hassan - subject, of course, to a decision by party leaders, although no-one would go against the leader.

However,  sources close to him also said that Mr Deve Gowda may in fact   contest from two Lok Sabha constituencies  - Hassan and Bengaluru North Lok Sabha constituencies - during the coming general polls. Standing from Hassan would be because he is acceding to a  demand from the Hassan voters that he should contest from their district, he is likely to say. In reality, it would be a replication of a tried and tested JD(S) tactic, and exactly what his son and incumbent chief minister H D Kumaraswamy did. If HDD wins - he retains Bengaluru north, which has a strong Vokkaliga-Muslim constituent, and field his grandson from the safe seat, Hassan.  

Mr Gowda knows well that it would be very difficult for his grandson, Mr Prajwal Revanna, son of PWD Minister H D Revanna, to win from this very turf with the tough competition from Congress and BJP. By winning the seat for him first, he ensures that he has a fallback with the Bengaluru seat and paves the way for Mr Prajwal to keep Hassan. 

The sources pointed out that it was the endeavour of the JDS patriarch to introduce the third generation of the Gowda family-Mr Prajwal Revanna as well as Mr Nikhil Kumaraswamy, son of Mr Kumaraswamy to politics. 

For that reason, the former Prime Minister agreed to field former minister L.R. Shivaramegowda from Mandya Lok Sabha constituency  in the byelections so that Mr Nikhil could then make a debut from Mandya where his party had bagged all seven assembly seats. Mr Gowda wanted to give equal opportunities for both his grandsons in entering the state politics. 

Sources told Deccan Chronicle that already Mr Gowda had collected feedback from the state Intelligence Department and his party functionaries on his prospects if he contests from Bengaluru North.  

They have given a positive reply in this regard. 

But, the deeply religious Mr Gowda may yet rely on the advice of his astrologers before he takes a final call.