HD Kumaraswamy once again rules out Bhavani for Hassan seat

CHIKKAMAGALURU/HASSAN: With barely three months to go for the Karnataka assembly elections, all doesn't seem to be well within the Gowda family fold with a storm brewing over the choice of JD(S) candidate for the prestigious Hassan seat.
Within days after former minister HD Revanna's family started campaigning in the Hassan assembly segment, from where Revanna's wife Bhavani is eyeing a JD(S) ticket, former chief minister and JD(S) leader HD Kumaraswamy on Saturday categorically said that a party worker would be fielded from Hassan, thereby throwing a spanner in the works of Bhavani, his sister-in-law. Speaking to reporters at Sringeri in Chikkamagaluru on Saturday, Kumaraswamy said he had stated that the party would field a common worker from Hassan and defeat sitting BJP MLA Preetam Gowda.
HD Revanna may contest from KR Pet
I stand by my words," he said, making it clear that the party was not keen on fielding Bhavani. "People think that former PM HD Deve Gowda's family means him and his six children. But for me, all the honest party workers of JD(S) are family members," Kumaraswamy explained.
He also said that a meeting of party leaders and workers from Hassan has been convened in Bengaluru on Sunday to discuss the issue of the party's choice of candidate for Hassan. Nearly 300 people are expected to attend the meeting, he added.
However, no matter the Kumaraswamy cold shoulder, Revanna, Bhavani and their son Prajwal, the JD(S) MP from Hassan, are already in campaign mode for the last three days. The trio toured seven village panchayats on Saturday, seeking support for the Hassan JD(S) candidate.
Revanna said he had accepted the challenge from BJP's Preetam Gowda and his aim was to defeat him. Bhavani also urged voters to vote for the JD(S) candidate, though she steered clear of projecting herself as the candidate.
While this family feud is playing out on the political stage, there has been growing speculation over Revanna opting out of the Holenarsipur seat and migrating to KR Pet in Mandya district, following demands from party leaders in Mandya to field a member of the Gowda family to wrest the seat from BJP. In the 2019 by-elections, KC Narayanagowda had won from BJP after he quit JD(S).