HASSAN:
PWD minister HD Revanna
,
a staunch believer in astrology
has been carrying eight vermilion-laced lemons — handed to him each day by an astrologer — while campaigning for his son
Prajwal, much to the bemusement of voters and party leaders.
Bhavani, his politically inclined wife, has also been conducting special rituals for her son’s victory. The trio last week even took a break to perform a ‘yagna’ to propitiate Lord Venkateshwara at Tirupati.
All this suggests Prajwal, scion of the Gowda family, needs divine intervention to win in Hassan Lok Sabha constituency, a long-held family batsion. Prajwal, the JD(S) candidate, faces a stiff fight from former Cong ress minister A Manju, who did a ‘ghar wapsi’ to the BJP just a week before filing his nomination.
Reports from the ground are far from encouraging for Prajwal. The rift between Congress and JD(S) party workers refuses to die down. An undercurrent of anger appears to be directed at the Gowda family for opting to field a family member while ignoring senior party leaders. Revanna and his family are also having sleepless nights due to the unstable caste cauldron. Senior Congress leader Gandasi Shivaram, whom Revanna met recently to seek his support, said he’s trying hard to convince his party workers, but they are angry with Revanna.
However, the JD(S) rank and file is confident of defeating the BJP since six MLAs and two MLCs are working for Prajwal. “I am seeking votes in the name of my grandfather (JD(S) supremo HD Deve Gowda), my father’s development work and my agenda for Hassan’s development. The response has been good,” a confident Prajwal said, while rattling off a list of projects which Revanna has undertaken in Hassan district.
BJP leaders exude a confidence of their own, insisting nothing is permanent in politics while pointing to what transpired in 1999 when Gowda was defeated. “No one is invincible,” said Navile Annappa, the newly elected BJP district president.
Caste dynamics will eventually determine the result. “Just how the Vokkaliga and Kuruba votes split will decide who will win,” some political observers say. HP Venkatesh Murthy, a political analyst, said it would be premature to write off the Gowdas. “But yes, they are facing a serious challenge,” Murthy said.
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