Karnataka elections: Is this Deve Gowda’s successor?

Hinting at a successor, former Prime Minister of India, H D Deve Gowda said that he would not contest the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. The Janata Dal-Secular president also indicated that his grandson Prajwal Revanna may contest in his place from Hassan if the public decides and no other senior leaders of the party were willing to take it up.

"I have decided not to contest for parliament (election), I have asked all leaders from our district if they would like to contest for parliament. They will be given first preference," Gowda told reporters in Hassan. Pointing out that several party leaders have expressed their unwillingness, he said "What should I do, I have completed 85 years (age). My honest opinion is that I want to send Prajwal Revanna to parliament, but people will decide." "Prajwal is educated and has the capability, but sometimes he easily gets upset, it is common..," he added. Prajwal, son of Gowda's elder son and senior JD(S) leader H D Revanna, who was until recently involved in party activities as a worker in Hassan district, the family's home turf, was in November appointed state general secretary.

The appointment was then seen as a push to the political aspirations of Prajwal, who has been openly demanding a party ticket for the May 12 assembly elections. Gowda, however, has repeatedly maintained that only two members from his family - Revanna and Kumaraswamy - will be contesting the polls, in an attempt to wipe out the "father-son party" label attached to the JD(S). Despite Kumaraswamy, JDS state chief and Gowda's other son, also reiterating the stand on the number of family members contesting on the party's ticket, mixed signals are being sent out from within the family. Until recently, Anita, Kumaraswamy's wife, had also reportedly expressed her interest in contesting from Channapatna, from where she lost the last time if the party leadership agrees to it.