Chamundeshwari MLA GT Devegowda has chosen to stay away from campaigning in Hunsur, where former JD(S) state President AH Vishwanath is contesting on a BJP ticket.
The poll battle in Karnataka’s Hunsur in Mysuru district is a crucial one, especially for the BJP, which has fielded rebel leader and former JD(S) state President AH Vishwanath as its candidate. The Congress has fielded HP Manjunath, a former MLA from the region. Vishwanath, who is a veteran in state politics, is facing anti-incumbency in the region. The JD(S) on the other hand has fielded C Somasekhar, a local contractor, who has bagged many road projects in the state. The JD(S) fielded a new face who has not been affiliated to state politics, sources say, in a bid to curb the power of Chamundeshwari MLA GT Devegowda. A consequential figure in Mysuru district’s politics, GT Devegowda’s support is important for the JD(S) candidate due his strong reach in the region. However, GT Devegowda has off late, openly expressed his disappointment with the JD(S) and has refused to step outside and campaign for the party’s own candidate. “I have nothing to do with this election. I am not for or against anyone,” GT Devegowda had told the media last week. GT Devegowda has also been seen with BJP MP of Chamarajagnagar – V Srinivas Prasad and speculation is rife that he is offering his support, indirectly, to AH Vishwanath instead. His reluctance to support his own party has raised several questions and the most important one is – what made him turn against his own party? Highly placed sources in the JD(S) say that GT Devegowda has been unhappy with his party ever since the coalition government, in 2018, offered him the Primary and Secondary Education portfolio. Devegowda, who had repeatedly told the media that he was unhappy with the portfolio allocation, is said to have been rendered unhappy when the JD(S) announced its list of candidates for the bye-elections. GT Devegowda had hoped to bargain with the JD(S) leadership for a ticket for his son Harish Gowda in return for his support, say sources. However, the party fielded C Somashekar in a bid to curb GT Devegowda’s powers, as he was openly holding talks with Srinivas Prasad. GT Devegowda, Ah Vishwanath and Srinivas Prasad are close, JD(S) insiders say, as they share a common bond – their rivalry with former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah. Both Vishwanath and Srinivas Prasad left the Congress as they blamed Siddaramaiah for trying to sabotage their political careers. GT Devegowda’s rivalry with Siddaramaiah stems from what he calls betrayal. GT Devegowda, a staunch supporter of the JD(S) says he was betrayed by Siddaramaiah when the latter joined the Congress. JD(S) insiders allege that GT Devegowda has decided to offer his support to his close friend – AH Vishwanath. “Both Srinivas Prasad and Vishwanath are now in the BJP. The two leaders have been trying to get GT Devegowda onto their team as well. But he has been reluctant to let go of the Dal. In order to get back at the JD(S) for refusing to give his son a ticket for the Hunsur bye-polls and to undercut Siddaramaiah, GTD is supporting the BJP,” the JD(S) source alleges. BJP insiders say that GT Devegowda’s support has given the party a good chance to win the elections as Vishwanath is facing anti-incumbency. “Srinivas Prasad and Devegowda know the old Mysuru region and its politics very well. He has huge following even outside of Chamundeshwari. When the disgruntled leaders resigned, GT Devegowda too wanted to. But he did not want to join the BJP,” the source adds. The BJP needs to win seven seats in order to continue as the ruling party in the Karnataka Assembly. The party currently has 105 MLAs and the support of one independent. It requires the seven seats to form a simple majority of 113 in an Assembly of 224 legislators.
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