BENGALURU: When JDS youth wing leader Nikhil Kumaraswamy stepped out of his black Land Rover SUV, dressed in a black shirt, and walked into former chief minister B S Yediyurappa’s residence on Sunday, he looked more a film star than a politician. Under the full glare of cameras, he bent down to take the blessings of the BJP veteran.
The JDS, which forged an alliance with the BJP, has strategically decided to move Nikhil into a ‘forward’ position. Former CM HD Kumaraswamy chose Nikhil to accompany him to New Delhi last Thursday, considered to be an auspicious day.
There was speculation that Nikhil could be the Mandya Lok Sabha candidate. He was taken to meet Union Home Minister Amit Shah at the JDS meeting on the Cauvery issue, which could help him gain from the optics, especially as he was often seen at the Cauvery protests.
Party insiders, though, brushed aside Nikhil’s visit as a reciprocal meeting, as Yediyurappa’s MLA-son B Y Vijayendra had visited Kumaraswamy when he was unwell, just over 10 days ago. Political observers say these meetings happen with a purpose. Nikhil also chose to visit G T Devegowda, who was on the verge of leaving the JDS, but has now decided to stay on.
It is said that at Sunday’s breakfast meeting -- of dosas, uppit and coffee -- at Yediyurappa’s house, Nikhil did not speak politics but chose to keep the conversation about general issues of mutual concern. Whether Yediyurappa’s “blessings” translate into votes for Nikhil, who has been twice unlucky -- in Mandya and Ramanagara -- remains to be seen.
There was also talk that Kumaraswamy had advised Nikhil to stay away from politics and continue his career in films. This new-found confidence to bring Nikhil to centrestage could be “part of a new plan”, said Shafiullah Saheb, former senior vice-president who chose to part ways with the JDS when it joined the BJP. Insiders also speculated that Nikhil could be brought in from Bangalore Rural, and the presence of BJP RR Nagar MLA N Munirathna could mean that Nikhil is being secretly groomed to take on Congress MP DK Suresh.
Sources said Nikhil is keenly interested in politics, and is abreast of political developments. He was present at Kumaraswamy’s two meetings with Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao.