Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru (SP)

Bengaluru, Mar 4: JD(S), which already has several leaders from former Prime Minister, H D Deve Gowda's family, is ready to welcome two more people from the family into its leadership. After lot of consultations and rethinking on the issue, the leadership of the party has finally made up its mind to field Nikhil Kumaraswamy from Mandya and Prajwal Revanna from Hassan Lok Sabha constituencies.

JD(S) supremo, H D Deve Gowda, took this final decision, overlooking efforts made by his political adversaries to stop at least one among his two grandsons from entering active politics. The party had earlier considered the prospects of fielding Nikhil Kumaraswamy from Mysuru because of the likelihood of Sumalatha Ambareesh entering the race for Lok Sabha seat from Mandya. It is said that a final decision to field him from Mandya was taken as Siddaramaiah is said to be hell bent against giving up Mysuru Lok Sabha constituency to JD(S).

Deve Gowda is left with the option of fighting from Bengaluru (north) constituency this time and caste calculations favour this decision. Although there is demand to field Deve Gowda from Tumakuru, certain Congress leaders are not willing to cede this seat. While JD(S) ministers, G T Deve Gowda and Sa Ra Mahesh from Mysuru have been asking a member of Deve Gowda's family to enter the field from there, Deve Gowda is said to be in favour of fielding Prof K S Rangappa or Harish Gowda, son of G T Deve Gowda, from there. However, former chief minister, Siddaramaiah, has been stoutly opposing the proposal to give up Mysuru constituency to JD(S). He is said to have assured of holding dialogue with Deve Gowda and convince the latter not to insist on this constituency.

Siddaramaiah is said to be in favour of fielding C H Vijayashankar, a BJP leader who recently crossed over to Congress, from Mysuru. It is said that he also has placed this proposal before the party high command. JD(S) leaders, it is said, has decided to pressurize Congress to leave aside Tumakuru and Chikkaballapur constituencies in favour of their party, if Congress is insistent on retaining Mysuru constituency.

Congress - JD(S) coordination committee meeting is scheduled to be held here on Monday March 4. If the coordination committee fails to resolve the issue of seat sharing, the issue might be sorted out in an one-to-one meeting between Deve Gowda and Rahul Gandhi. JD(S), which is insisting on getting 12 constituencies, may get eight or nine seats, political analysts feel. If this happens, it has to be seen which seats in addition to Hassan, Mandya, Shivamogga, Bengaluru (north) and Vijayapura Lok Sabha constituencies would be allotted to this party.