HD Kumaraswamy's actor son Nikhil Gowda JD(S)' star campaigner in 2018 polls?
Bengaluru: Will another grandson of former PM and JD(S) President H.D. Deve Gowda take the plunge into politics like his parents and granddad?
What’s wrong if Nikhil Gowda, son of state JD(S) President and former CM H.D. Kumaraswamy makes his debut in politics, asked party patriarch Mr Deve Gowda when newsmen asked him about bringing his grandsons into politics. Till recently, Mr Deve Gowda had said only two from his family-former minister and Holenarasipur MLA H.D. Revanna and Mr Kumaraswamy would contest in 2018 Assembly polls. However, he altered his statement not ruling out his two daughters-in-law Anita Kumaraswamy and Bhavani Revanna contesting the coming Assembly elections.
After a few days, Prajwal Revanna who had been nursing the idea of entering politics, openly expressed his readiness to take the plunge if he was given a ticket. In fact, he was ready to contest from the Hunsur Assembly seat but had to change his decision after Mr Deve Gowda announced former MP A.H. Vishwanath as party candidate from that constituency. Since then, Mr Prajwal had been openly expressing his willingness to contest the elections from any constituency named by party leaders. A few days, Mr Prajwal displayed interest to contest from the Rajarajeshwari Assembly constituency in Bengaluru.
Party sources told DC that Mr Deve Gowda was likely to give his consent to Ms Bhavani Revanna to contest from any constituency in Hassan-a strong fortress of the JD(S) and Ms Anita Kumaraswamy from Channapatna, the constituency which she had represented once. But she lost in the subsequent Assembly polls and also in Bengaluru Rural Lok Sabha constituency against D.K. Suresh, brother of Energy Minister D.K. Shivakumar. While Mr Revanna will seek re-election from Holenarasipur, Mr Kumaraswamy is in a dilemma whether to contest from Ramanagar or other constituency in North Karnataka. If Mr Nikhil agrees to contest, Mr Deve Gowda had to look for a safe constituency for him to ensure his victory.
Sources admitted that pressure was mounting on Mr Deve Gowda from young party workers to allow his grandsons to contest in order to infuse new blood into the party. Before Mr Prajwal took to active politics, Mr Nikhil had led an agitation organised by JD(S) youth wind against toll collection at Nelamangala. After that, he diverted his attention to films and acted in Kannada movie Jaguar, produced by his father. But, the film did not do well and that might have compelled him to spend more time in politics.
However, Mr Kumaraswamy is not keen on bringing his son into politics now 00and wants him to wait for some time. Sources said even if Mr Nikhil does not contest, he would be the party’s star campaigner to woo young voters. Mr Deve Gowda too has agreed to the fact that Mr Nikhil would campaign in many constituencies across the state along with his father, Mr Kumaraswamy.
