Bhavani had created a ruffle within the first family of JD(S) by announcing that her candidature has been cleared for the assembly election.
HD Revanna. (Twitter)
Seeking to end the controversy over Bhavani Revanna’s wish to contest from the Hassan constituency in the upcoming Assembly election, her husband HD Revanna said on Sunday, 29 January, that his younger brother and former chief minister HD Kumaraswamy’s word will be final.
Bhavani had created a stir within the first family of the JD(S) by announcing that her candidature for the family bastion of Hassan has been cleared for the Assembly election due by May.
Kumaraswamy later issued a clarification that it was not necessary that she would contest from Hassan as there were many other capable candidates.
“I am not after fielding any specific person (from Hassan). We want our party to survive. Whatever Kumaraswamy says is the final word for all of us. The final decision will be taken by Deve Gowda, Kumaraswamy, me and party state president CM Ibrahim,” Revanna, a former minister, told reporters in Hole Narasipur, his home constituency.
“People who think that there will be a clash between him and Kumaraswamy due to ‘family politics’ will be sorely disappointed,” Revanna quipped.
“There are no differences amongst us. All we want is the development of Hassan district. There is nothing like (prominence to) family,” the former minister said.
Revanna said the JD(S) is fighting the election to bring back a Kumaraswamy-led government in the state.
The clarification came as the JD(S) first family was hitting headlines over the possible feud in former Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda’s clan over the Hassan seat from where Bhavani, a former Hassan Zilla Panchayat member, is willing to contest the election.
The silence of Revanna was giving more credence to the rumours about the rift between the sons of Deve Gowda and their families.
It is learnt that the matter related to Bhavani’s wish is before the JD(S) patriarch to take a final call.
Bhavani, the wife of JD(S) MLA and Deve Gowda’s son HD Revanna, on 24 January, positioned herself as the face of the party from the Hassan Assembly segment for the upcoming Karnataka Assembly polls in April-May.
The announcement flew in the face of the declaration by the party leadership — from the same family — that workers, and not family members, would be given priority this election season.
“The party leaders have decided to field me as its candidate for the Hassan segment in the forthcoming Assembly polls,” Bhavani Revanna, a former member of the Hassan Zilla Panchayat, had told reporters in Hassan.
She added: “Of the total seven Assembly segments in the district, the BJP managed to win only in Hassan in the 2018 polls.”
She then sprung the full surprise: “The discussion has happened in the party and it has been decided to field me as the JD(S) nominee from the Hassan Assembly constituency. My name will be officially declared in the coming days.”
Bhavani’s announcement came barely weeks after younger daughter-in-law and incumbent MLA Anitha Kumaraswamy said she would not contest from the Ramanagara constituency and would pave the way for her son Nikhil Kumaraswamy’s candidature.
Earlier, it had been said that only HD Revanna and Kumaraswamy from former prime minister HD Deve Gowda’s family would contest the elections.
However, in the Pancharatna Yatra, Anitha announced her son Nikhil Kumaraswamy’s candidacy from her own Ramanagara segment in her place.
In the past, many party workers expressed dissent over the JD(S) preferring Deve Gowda’s family members over other party members as candidates.
On Bhavani’s statement, many party workers refrained from making any comments, reasoning it was a family matter.
(With inputs from PTI)
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