Rebels out of Tumakuru fray, HD Deve Gowda breathes easy

BENGALURU: Janata Dal (S) patriarch and the former Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda heaved a sigh of relief Friday with outgoing Tumakuru MP SP Muddahanumegowda and Congress rebel KN Rajanna opting out of the fray on Friday.
The relief in the Congress-JD(S) coalition was palpable because Gowda had settled for Tumakuru - a relatively safe seat - after weeks of speculation, and the trouble from within the coalition was becoming a major cause of concern.
Now reduced to a direct contest, Gowda will take on the BJP's GS Basavaraj, who had won Tumakuru seat thrice on Congress ticket and once on BJP's ticket.
"Respecting the high command, I'm pulling out of the race," Muddahanumegowda said in Tumakuru minutes before his election agent went to the deputy commissioner's office to withdraw his nomination. The announcement came after the MP held talks with KPCC president Dinesh Gundurao and deputy chief minister G Parameshwara in Bengaluru.
Muddahanumegowda was the only Congress MP who wasn't re-nominated for the elections. Upset at the party's decision to hand the seat to the JD(S), he had entered the fray as a Congress candidate. Rajanna, a baiter of the Gowdas, had filed the papers as an independent.
Rahul Gandhi persuaded rebels to opt out
Presence of Muddahanumegowda in the fray had given Gowda the jitters because of his rapport with voters.
On Friday morning, Dinesh Gundurao and Parameshwara met Muddahanumegowda at his Bengaluru residence following a cue from Congress president Rahul Gandhi and persuaded him to opt out of the race in the interest of the party. Rahul has reportedly promised Muddahanumegowda a suitable reward in return. Rajanna had said he would withdraw from the fray if Muddahanumegowda did so, and he kept the word.