Second electoral defeat for Deve Gowda's kin in four months

Bangalore, Aug 24: JD-S president and former Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda's daughter-in-law Anita Kumaraswamy Saturday suffered her second poll defeat within four months, that too in the area considered the party's stronghold.

Anita, married to Janata Dal-Secular (JD-S) state chief and former chief minister H. D. Kumaraswamy, Saturday lost to D. K. Suresh of the ruling Congress in Bangalore Rural Lok Sabha constituency for which bypoll was held along with Mandya seat on Aug 21.

In the May 5 assembly election, she was defeated in Channapatna, which is part of Bangalore Rural constituency, by C. P. Yogeeshwara of Samajwadi Party. Channapatna is about 60 kms from Bangalore.

Her Saturday's loss is a double whammy for the Gowda family whose word is the final in JD-S, which is ridiculed by other political parties as "thande-makkala paksha (father and sons party)".

The Bangalore Rural seat was held by her husband. Kumaraswamy had won the seat in 2009 by around 130,000 votes, almost the same margin by which Anita lost the seat Saturday.

He quit the seat on getting elected to Karnataka assembly in the May 5 elections from Ramanagaram constituency, which is also part of Bangalore Rural Lok Sabha seat.

Anita is a businesswoman. This was her third election.

She had won a bypoll to Karnataka assembly in December 2008 from Madhugiri in Tumkur district, about 100 kms from here.

She was shifted to Channapatna for the May 5 assembly poll as Kumaraswamy was confident that she would win from there as he was contesting from the neighbouring Ramanagaram constituency.

With Gowda family's calculations going wrong twice within four months, a shocked Kumaraswamy said he would quit as JD-S state chief and also as leader of the opposition in the assembly.

Fielding Anita again for a poll so soon after she had lost one had evoked derisive comments from the Congress which went to town that its description of JD-S as a "family affair" was proven beyond doubt.

Gowda had laboured hard to defend the decision telling campaign meetings that he had fielded Anita not because she was his daughter-in-law but because JD-S workers wanted her to contest.

He had tried to hit back at the Congress saying that it is a "mother and son party". He had also accused the Congress of indulging in "family politics" as the Suresh is the brother of Congress legislator and former minister D.K. Suresh Kumar.

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PM Modi vows to strengthen India-Maldives ties, inks currency swap deal with President Muizzu

News Network

October 7,2024

New Delhi: Seeking to strengthen bilateral ties, India and the Maldives on Monday inked a currency swap agreement to the tune of $400 million, a move that would help the archipelago nation overcome foreign exchange reserve issues.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and visiting Maldivian President Mohamed Muizzu also launched Rupay card in the Maldives, inaugurated the new runway at the Hanimadhoo International airport and agreed to further strengthen bilateral relations that had hit a rocky patch last year.

Muizzu, who is on a four-day state visit, held talks with Prime Minister Modi at the Hyderabad House here.

After the talks, India also handed over 700 social housing units to the Maldives built under the EXIM Bank’s buyer’s credit facilities.

"Today, we have inaugurated the redeveloped Hanimaadhoo Airport. Now, the Greater Male Connectivity Project will also be expedited. We will also support the development of a new commercial port in Thilafushi," Modi told reporters here with Muizzu by his side.

Modi said India and Maldives have decided to initiate discussion on the Free Trade Agreement to further strengthen economic ties.

The prime minister described Maldives as a "close friend" which had an important position in India's neighbourhood policy and SAGAR vision.

"India has always fulfilled the responsibilities of a neighbour. Today, we have taken up the vision of a comprehensive economic and maritime security partnership to give our mutual cooperation a strategic direction," Modi said.

Earlier, Muizzu was accorded a ceremonial welcome at the Rashtrapati Bhawan by President Droupadi Murmu. Prime Minister Modi was also present on the occasion.

Muizzu was given a tri-services guard of honour before he drove down the Rajghat to offer his respects at the memorial to Mahatma Gandhi.

The ties between India and the Maldives came under severe strain since Muizzu, known for his pro-China leanings, took charge of the top office in November.

Muizzu won the presidential election last year on the 'India out' campaign and asked New Delhi to withdraw its military personnel posted in the archipelago nation by May this year.

The bilateral ties also hit a rocky patch when Maldivian ministers were critical of Modi. However, Muizzu has since toned down his anti-India stance and even sacked ministers who were critical of the Indian prime minister.

As the Maldives was grappling with a serious economic downturn, India has decided to extend vital budgetary support to the Maldives government with the rollover of a $50 million Treasury Bill for another year.

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