HASSAN: Bhavani, wife of former minister and senior JDS leader HD Revanna, disclosed a decision taken confidentially by the JDS first family on the candidature for the Hassan Assembly constituency. Addressing a gathering at a religious event at Kakkehalli of Hassan taluk on Monday, Bhavani on Tuesday said she will be the party candidate from Hassan and all should support her. Party senior leaders will officially announce her name along with other candidates soon, she added.
Shocked by her statements, Swaroop Prakash, who is the only strong ticket aspirant for Hassan from the party, said JDS senior leaders HD Deve Gowda and HD Kumaraswamy will finalise the tickets for all the seven Assembly constituencies in the district. Prakash said he is confident of getting the ticket, but will abide by whatever decision the party takes.
Sources said Bhavani has humiliated party state president CM Ibrahim, Kumaraswamy and Revanna as they had reportedly requested her not disclose her candidature till the nomination papers are filed. Kumaraswamy, who is busy with the Pancharatna Yatra in North Karnataka, said the party is yet to finalise tickets for any candidates in Hassan district.
Hassan MP and Bhavani’s son Prajwal Revanna too said the party has not yet announced tickets for candidates in the district and Deve Gowda and Kumaraswamy are the final authority. But Bhavani, who is obviously preparing for the polls, has been visiting villages and meeting prominent people and senior citizens for the last one month.
She has been attending marriages, naming ceremonies, marriage receptions, religious and sports events in rural areas, which is a common ploy by politicians ahead of elections. One of her loyalists said Revanna’s word is final when it comes to distributing tickets in Hassan district. Despite repeated attempts, Bhavani was not available for comment.