Lok Sabha elections: Deve Gowda faces uphill task outside family bastion

TUMAKURU: After relinquishing the family bastions of Hassan and Mandya to his grandsons, JD(S) supremo HD Deve Gowda faces one of his toughest political battles as he filed his nomination papers from the Tumakuru Lok Sabha seat on Monday.


The 86-year-old submitted his papers as the JDS-Congress nominee in the presence of deputy chief minister and local Congress leader G Parameshwara.

Gowda, who was asked to choose between Tumakuru and Bengaluru North, finally opted for the former. He will take on BJP’s G S Basavaraj, a four-time MP from Tumakuru.

Widespread rebellion within the Congress over denial of ticket to sitting MP SP Muddahanumegowda and Deve Gowda’s alleged role over depriving Tumakuru residents drinking water from Hemavathi have made it an uphill task for the former PM to secure a sixth consecutive term. “Go Back” slogans greeted Deve Gowda as soon he descended on Tumakuru.

Defying the electoral arrangement, Muddahanumegowda and former Madhugiri MLA K N Rajanna also filed nomination papers. Deve Gowda has reportedly requested top Congress leaders to make Muddahanumegowda to withdraw from the contest. Congress leaders will have their task cut out to ensure the withdrawal of rebel candidates. The last date for withdrawal of nomination papers is March 29.

As a first move, Congress leaders offered Muddahanumegowda a ticket from Bengaluru North, which the JD(S) returned to Congress. Earlier, Congress leaders tried convincing the JD(S) to give back Tumakuru constituency and enable Muddahanumegowda to re-contest from the seat.