Lok Sabha elections: HD Deve Gowda zeroes in on Tumakuru

BENGALURU: Former Prime Minister and JD(S) supremo HD Deve Gowda appears to have finally zeroed in on Tumakuru Lok Sabha constituency to contest next month’s elections.
The constituency Gowda would opt for was a matter of massive speculation after he ceded Hassan, which he represents in the Lok Sabha, to grandson Prajwal Revanna. Besides Tumakuru, Gowda had Bengaluru North and Mysuru-Kodagu seats to choose from.There was even talk he could hang up his boots. Now, there are strong indications that he could throw his hat in the ring from Tumakuru.
“Gowda has decided to contest from Tumakuru and asked his son and PWD minister HD Revanna to fix a date and time to file nomination papers,” a senior JD(S) leader said.
Gowda reportedly decided to opt for Tumakuru only after he received a firm assurance from Congress leaders — especially CLP leader Siddaramaiah — that they would ensure his victory. There were reports that the former chief minister could settle personal scores with Gowda, who reportedly engineered his defeat in Chamundeshwari in the assembly polls last year.
If everything goes to plan, Gowda, 86, will seek re-election to Parliament for the sixth time. He will face BJP’s GS Basavaraju, a four time MP from Tumakuru. The constituency is dominated by Vokkaligas, but it has been vacillating between Congress and BJP since 1999. JD(S) has never won the seat.
In the 2014 Lok Sabha polls, the vote share of the JD(S) in the constituency was 23.5% compared to 6.8% in Bengaluru North.
Move to quell rebellion
Congress leaders on Wednesday stepped up efforts to quell dissidence in its rank and file in Hassan district. Several leaders and party workers are reportedly upset with the party high command for handing over the seat to the JD(S). Former minister A Manju had even quit and joined the BJP.
CLP leader Siddaramaiah and KPCC working president Eshwar Khandre held a meeting to convince workers to support JD(S) in the “ideological battle” against BJP. “We will again hold another meeting on Thursday,'' Khandre said.