TUMAKURU: In a fresh flashpoint that could put the coalition partners on a collision course, former prime minister H D Deve Gowda is facing rebellion from Congress MP S P Muddahanume Gowda in Tumkur.
Defying his party decided to cede the seat to the JDS, the Congress MP on Saturday announced his decision to file nomination on Monday. Deve Gowda too is filing nomination papers on the same day.
“I am not joking. My contest is certain and the party high command still has a chance to declare me as an alliance candidate since I am riding on the sympathy wave (as I didn’t get the ticket) and I will romp home,” Muddahanume Gowda declared after meeting his supporters.
The MP, who has the backing of former Madhugiri MLA K N Rajanna, held the meeting on Saturday. Almost all the block presidents of all the eight assembly constituencies in Tumkur LS seat attended it.
The Congress MP’s announcement has not gone down well with the JDS leadership. “Congress leaders will handle it. I will not do anything against my self-respect and beg anyone,” said Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy. He said that as part of the seat-sharing arrangement, the JDS has got eight seats and it will field candidates in all those constituencies.
Immediately, Congress leaders got into damage control mode. Deputy CM G Parameshwara said he will hold talks with Muddahanume Gowda and dissuade him from contesting the elections.
“We cannot allow split in secular votes,” he said, expressing confidence that the MP will abide by the party decision.
Even after the Congress and JDS seat-sharing arrangement was finalised, Parameshwara, who is also from Tumkur, and Muddahanume Gowda had met Deve Gowda and senior Congress leaders requesting them to allow the sitting MP to contest the elections. At that point in time, they had even stated that they were okay if Deve Gowda decided to contest from Tumkur.
“I showed my magnanimity despite being a sitting MP which they took it for granted and as my weakness,” said Muddahanume.
Rebellion may help BJP candidate
If Muddahanume Gowda sticks with his decision to contest from Tumkur, and if former Madhugiri MLA Rajanna backs him, votes may be split and it may help BJP candidate G S Basavaraju. This opposition to none other than Deve Gowda has created ripples in the political circles.
Gowda’s grandsons too are facing a tough contest in Mandya and Hassan.
In Mandya, actor Sumalatha Ambareesh is contesting as an independent candidate against Nikil Kumar, and in Hassan, A Manju, who quit Congress recently, is contesting against Prajwal Revanna.
Small Scale Industries Minister S R Srinivas hoped that the Congress, JD(S) tussle will be over by Monday. As soon as Deve Gowda started holding talks with the Tumakuru leaders, a miffed Muddahanume Gowda galvanised his party workers, resulting in Saturday’s meeting at his farmhouse at Hebburu.
As the emotionally charged supporters protested against the injustice meted out to their MP, the latter declared that he will file his nomination papers on Monday. The ‘shock’ to the JD(S) comes a day before Deve Gowda is expected to meet both the Congress and JD(S) leaders here on Sunday.
Interestingly, it’s on Monday that Deve Gowda is scheduled to file his nomination papers. Sources said Parameshwara is helpless as he is in a Catch 22 situation.