HASSAN: The Hassan Assembly constituency is likely to witness a tough contest between the incumbent BJP MLA Preetam J Gowda and the JDS candidate, whoever it may be. Preetam has emerged as one of the strongest Vokkaliga leaders in the Old Mysuru region, and has challenged the family of former prime minister HD Deve Gowda, who consider Hassan region as their borough, to win the seat from him.
A confident Preetam has said he will win by a margin of over 50,000 votes even if JDS senior leader and Deve Gowda’s son HD Revanna contests against him in the 2023 Assembly elections. Revanna seems to have picked up the gauntlet thrown at him and has been working out strategies 24x7 to teach Preetam a lesson. This could be one of the reasons why Revanna demanded the party ticket for his wife Bhavani, party insiders said.
An unlikely fallout of Preetam’s statement is that it has triggered a major crisis within JDS and has led to differences between Revanna and his brother and former chief minister HD Kumaraswamy over the selection of a candidate for the seat. This, as also the question over deciding between two Vokkaliga factions of Dasa and Mullu have caused the delay. JDS has till now fielded only Dasa Vokkaliga, who dominate the constituency, and won the Hassan seat previously.
This sub-sect issue is typical of Hassan and comes to the fore only during the polls. The candidature of HP Swaroop, who is a Dasa Vokkaliga, has been opposed by Revanna. There is a reason for that. During a preliminary meeting some six months ago, where Swaroop was present, JDS workers had forcefully asked Revanna to announce the ticket for Swaroop. Many youth from the community had rushed towards Revanna and raised slogans in favour of Swaroop. Revanna had felt humiliated as he had never faced such an incident in his political career.
That was the day he decided not to give the ticket for Swaroop and started neglecting him, party sources said. To avoid Swaroop, Revanna came up with an alternative strategy to field Bhavani, who has been trying to become an MLA for decades. A few weeks ago, she announced that she would be the JDS candidate from Hassan. Her statement that created a stir in political circles, but embarrassed Kumaraswamy. Later, he convinced Deve Gowda that the ticket should not go to Bhavani, arguing that party workers would not like another member from the party’s first family contesting the elections. He also said in public that the ticket would be given to a party worker, indirectly backing Swaroop.
This angered Revanna’s sons -- Hassan MP Prajwal Revanna and MLA Suraj Revanna -- who opposed their uncle’s interference in Hassan politics, which has been left to Revanna to manage for long. Kumaraswamy refused to react to their statement, and let the cold war with his brother simmer.
As a counter to Swaroop, Revanna also floated the names of KM Rajegowda, the former Hassan Urban Development Authority president, and BV Karigowda, a former MLA. Both are Dasa Vokkaligas, but Revana’s suggestion was rejected.
Sources said that when all the family members of Revanna met Gowda in Bengaluru recently, Bhavani touched the patriarch’s feet and sought his blessings to contest from Hassan. But when he did not support her, she stormed out of the meeting that was also attended by Kumaraswamy, they added.
An upset Revanna has now started campaigning in Holenarasipur without any of his family members. Party insiders think that if Preetam wins this election too, he will become far too powerful, depleting the political clout of the Gowda family in the constituency.
A party leader said JDS leaders cannot curb Preetam, who has learnt the tricks of JDS leaders. Preetam, a young engineering graduate from a middle-class family, has maintained a good rapport with the people. Before the 2018 Assembly elections, he ensured drinking water supply for affected areas and got garbage cleared at his own cost that led to his victory. The stage is set, one of the major players is ready for the duel and everybody is waiting to see who will be JDS candidate. Caste Equations-Hassan Vokkaligas (Dasa and Mullu) dominate in Hassan Assembly constituency. They are followed by Scheduled Castes and Tribes, other backward classes, minorities and others (Lingayats, Brahmins, and micro-castes).