BENGALURU: Nikhil Kumaraswamy, son of former Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy, paid a surprise visit to the residence of former higher education minister GT Devegowda on Friday. GT Devegowda is the giant killer of the JDS who defeated the then sitting Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on his home turf Chamundeshwari by a convincing margin in 2018.
The visit assumes significance in the backdrop of GT Devegowda's relationship with the JDS which has not exactly been perfect for the past about 16- months. He has deliberately kept away from official party programs and skipped the JDLP much to the embarrassment of the JDS.
Speaking to TNIE, GT Devegowda said Nikhil Kumaraswamy and his wife Revati visited his house in Brigade Villa at around 5 pm on Friday evening. Nikhil and GT Devegowda's son Harish are friends and had Obbattu, a sweet dish and Susla snack. They remained Devegowda's house till 7 pm and left for Nanjangud temple.
According to an expert, it is unusual for a someone of Nikhil Kumaraswamy's rank to visit GT Devegowda during strained times. His visit only means the relationship has begun to thaw. It may be recalled that when former Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy recently visited Mysore, he had said GT Devegowda is still part of the JDS.
The move by the JDS scion is seen as an effort by the party's first family to heal a relationship that was on the verge of a breakdown. At a time when the JDS is emerging from painful back to back defeats in the parliamentary elections and bypolls, the move is seen by experts as an effort by the regional outfit to strengthen itself.
Analysts point out that the JDS understands that it is on a much weaker wicket now than it was in the first tenure of BJP in Karnataka in 2008-13 when it had played the role of the larger opposition even though it was smaller than the Congress. The move indicates that it is seeking to mend its own house before being an aggressive opposition.