BENGALURU: Union Heavy Industries Minister HD Kumaraswamy will arrive in Bengaluru from Delhi on Friday morning and will be driven out of the airport in a procession for a short distance. JDS workers are expected to gather at a clearing near Airport Road to receive the procession. He will address party workers and supporters, before driving to the party office, JP Bhavan, where he will meet office-bearers.
Kumaraswamy will then drive home to meet his father HD Deve Gowda and mother Chennamma and seek their blessings, and then leave for Tirupati with his family members. It is known that the Gowdas have a special connection with Tirupati, and former PM Deve Gowda has spent many birthdays here. At Haradanhalli, the Gowdas helped build a massive Lakshmi Narayan temple.
While questions have been asked if Kumaraswamy would resign as party president or JDLP leader, party sources said there are no such plans. There has been talk in the party that it could appoint a full-time JDLP leader from among the legislators, besides a party president, though both names are still under wraps. Sources said these two leaders could be elected after a core committee meeting, which is not slotted during Kumaraswamy’s visit.
However, sources said Kumaraswamy will resign as MLA of Channapatna, from where he was elected with much fanfare just a year ago, with a margin of about 15,900 votes. He has reportedly sought an appointment with the Speaker.
Asked if Nikhil Kumaraswamy would be brought in to contest the Channapatna bypoll, sources said there is no clarity at the moment. Since the bypoll is months away, a decision would be taken at a suitable time, they said.