Ashima Duggal, Amrita Shergill win All-Women Divas wheels rally

Udupi, Apr 3: K Jayaprakash Hegde, who recently rejoined Congress nearly a decade after his expulsion from the grand-old party, filed his nomination as Congress candidate in Udupi-Chikmagalur segment today.

He was accompanied by former ministers Motamma, Vinay Kumar Sorake among others when he filed his nomination papers at the Udupi deputy commissioner’s office. 

Addressing the party workers, Hegde, who had earlier served as the Udupi-Chikkamagaluru MP, said that he had initiated multiple development works in both Udupi and Chikkamagaluru districts within 20 months.

“I seek this opportunity to fulfil the pending projects which were initiated during my previous term. Both districts face distinct challenges, with issues ranging from coffee and areca-nut cultivation in Chikkamagaluru to coastal tourism, fishermen's concerns, education, and health in Udupi. Strengthening the guarantee schemes is crucial, and we must promote and publicize them,” he said

“Had the central government created 2 crore jobs, we would witness the creation of 20 crore jobs today,” he said.

Hegde, who had joined BJP in 2017, was until recently the Chairman of Karnataka State Commission for Backward Classes that submitted the much-awaited Socio-Economic and Education Survey report, popularly known as the 'caste census' to the government. 

Bengaluru: A striking feature in the candidates list for the April 26 Lok Sabha elections in Karnataka is the presence of members of Janata Dal (Secular)'s first family.

Former Prime Minister and JD(S) patriarch H D Deve Gowda's son H D Kumaraswamy, son-in-law C N Manjunath and grandson Prajwal Revanna are all in the fray.

While state JD(S) chief and former Chief Minister H D Kumararaswamy is contesting from Mandya, Prajwal Revanna is seeking reelection from Hassan.

However, Manjunath, an eminent cardiologist, is contesting from Bangalore Rural on a BJP ticket, as per the arrangement between the alliance partners.

With the entry of cardiologist Manjunath into the poll arena, at least nine members of Gowda's immediate family are or have been in electoral politics.

Gowda is a Member of Rajya Sabha from Karnataka, while Kumaraswamy is an MLA from Channapatna, which comes under the Bangalore Rural Lok Sabha constituency.

Kumaraswamy's wife Anitha had represented Ramanagara as MLA in the previous assembly, and Nikhil, who is the JD(S) youth wing leader, had unsuccessfully contested the 2019 Lok Sabha polls from Mandya and 2023 assembly polls from Ramanagara.

Gowda's elder son and former Minister H D Revanna -- father of Prajwal -- is MLA from Holenarsipura, his wife Bhavani Revanna was a member of the Hassan Zilla Panchayat. Their other son, Suraj, is an MLC.

The Gowda family currently has its representation in all the four major houses of public representatives- Lok Sabha, Rajya Sabha, Legislative Assembly and Legislative Council.

This will be for the second consecutive time in the Lok Sabha elections, when three members from Gowda's family are in the fray from constituencies of the old-Mysore region (south Karnataka), which is considered to be the party's stronghold, because of the dominance of the Vokkaliga community here, to which they belong to.

Gowda (Tumkur), Prajwal Revanna (Hassan), and Kumaraswamy's son Nikhil (Mandya) had contested the Lok Sabha poll in 2019, but only Revanna emerged victorious. In fact, he was among the only two candidates from the then ruling Congress-JD(S) alliance, who won; the other being D K Suresh of Congress from Bangalore Rural.

As part of the seat-sharing deal in this Lok Sabha polls in Karnataka, the BJP would contest in 25 constituencies and the JD(S) in the remaining three -- Mandya, Hassan and Kolar. JD(S) has fielded M Mallesh Babu from Kolar.

In the 2023 assembly polls, three members of the Gowda family had contested - Kumaraswamy (Channapatna), H D Revanna (Holenarasipur), and Nikhil Kumaraswamy (Ramanagara). In the 2018 assembly polls, both Kumaraswamy and Revanna had won.

Kumaraswamy, who had then won from two seats - Ramanagara and Channapatna - vacated Ramanagara, which his wife Anita Kumaraswamy subsequently won in the bypolls.

According to some political observers, the perception in some quarters about JD(S) being too family-centric is one of its major drawbacks.

James Manor, University of London professor, who has been a keen observer of Karnataka's politics, during a webinar ahead of assembly polls last year had said, family-centred politics is causing discontent and leading to desertion. 'JD(S) suffers from over-centralisation and dictatorial leadership.'

However, Kumaraswamy has time and again defended family members contesting polls stating that , '....our family members will contest where we don't have a capable candidate, to protect the interest of our party and its workers.'

However, the JD(S)'s dynastic party image has always been used by its political opponents to target it.

Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister and state Congress president D K Shivakumar, had a dig at Gowda for fielding his son, grandson, and son-in-law, and asked 'Were there no other candidates (in JD(S))?'

'None of them is going to win...JD(S) is a party that has lost strength. If it is really strong, why did they make their son-in-law contest on a BJP ticket?' he said.

Some political analysts held the view that JD(S)' inability to grow beyond the Vokkaliga dominated old-Mysore region -- other than certain select pockets of north Karnataka -- is seen as among its other key drawbacks.

Speculations are already rife in JD(S) circles that Nikhil is most likely to be the party candidate from Channaptna assembly segment, in case Kumaraswamy wins in Mandya.

Ahead of assembly polls last year, differences in the Gowda family had come out in the open with H D Revanna's wife Bhavani wanting to contest from Hassan, but Kumaraswamy had opposed it and finally gave the ticket. 

Mangaluru: A coordination meeting of BJP-JD(S) coalition was held to discuss the Lok Sabha elections in the Dakshina Kannada constituency on Monday.

Dakshina Kannada MP Nalin Kumar Kateel said BJP and JD(S) have joined hands to make Narendra Modi the Prime Minister again.

BJP district president Sathish Kumpala said though there were ideological differences, both parties have the same aim.

“Our main aim is the development of the district. If we join hands and work together, it will be made possible. Further, the coalition will help in controlling the corrupt Congress too,” he said. 

JD(S) district president Madhava Gowda said the party has entered the coalition with BJP to defeat the corrupt Congress and make the Viksit Bharat concept a reality. The coalition with JD(S) will help BJP increase its margin in Dakshina Kannada, he added.

JD(S) leader MB Sadashiva said, according to party supremo HD Deve Gowda, the definition of the word ‘secular’ is an ‘inclusive’ move by taking everyone along together. The coalition will work together to strengthen the hands of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, he said.

BJP Mahila Morcha units in Dakshina Kannada and Udupi districts have said the Congress in Karnataka is anti-women. Mahila Morcha president Manjula Rao said demeaning women is part of Congress culture.

Referring to Congress MLA Shamanur Shivashankarappa’s sexist remarks, Rao said the remark of the veteran leader that ‘women should be limited to the kitchen’ has attracted the wrath of many people.

“Women are not limited to the kitchen. It was the BJP govt that ensured 33% reservation for women in the legislature. However, Congress has been denying opportunities for women,” she added. 

Meanwhile, BJP spokesperson Geethanjali Suvarna said in Udupi that voters in Karnataka will teach a lesson to the Congress in the LS election. “Minister Priyank Kharge has been attacking women through demeaning statements. The Congress govt follows an anti-women policy in the state. Women will reject Congress in the state,” said Suvarna.