Pooja gives JD(S) a touch of glamour
The JD(S) tried to bring glamour into the party, when it inducted actor Pooja Gandhi of the ‘Mungaru Male’ fame on Wednesday. 
She took the primary membership of JD(S) in the presence of senior leader M C Nanaiah at a function at the party office.
She told mediapersons that she was impressed by many people-friendly schemes implemented by H D Deve Gowda and H D Kumaraswamy when they were chief ministers of the State. "While shooting for films in villages, people used to praise schemes that were introduced by Kumaranna. So, I decided to join his party and work for it.”
Pooja said she has been working for the cause of people living with HIV in north Karnataka. "During my work, I have seen the sufferings of the poor people. The JD(S) has immensely contributed to improve their living conditions," she said.
Sources said that a section of leaders, however, doubt if she can contribute to a party that has its base in rural areas. Pooja, who hails from Punjab, finds it difficult to speak Kannada fluently. Many of her films released recently have not done well in the box office.
The party women's wing president, Jyoti Reddy, is said to be instrumental in bringing Pooja to the party. The actor is a close friend of Jyoti's daughter. Jyoti convinced Pooja to join the JD(S), sources said.
Tour from February
More than 60 senior JD(S) leaders, including former prime minister H D Deve Gowda and the party’s State president H D Kumaraswamy, held a day-long meeting at a resort on Wednesday. During the meeting, they decided to tour the State from the first of February, starting from MM Hills.
The party will cover all 30 districts during the two-month tour. Sources said the party has decided to select about 150 Assembly constituencies to strengthen its base and may select its candidates for these constituencies in advance. A core group of about 10 leaders, including Gowda and Kumaraswamy, will be set up, the sources said.
Gowda is learnt to have told the leaders at the meeting that the ruling BJP is in tatters, the Congress has become weak and people are looking for a third alternative. Hence, the JD(S) stood the chance of coming to power on its own in the next elections.
Briefing reporters on the decisions taken at the meeting, Kumaraswamy said public conventions would be organised in all districts to educate people about anti-farmer and anti-people policies of the BJP government. Besides, division-level conventions of the party’s women, minority, SC&ST and OBC wings will be held in March.
HDK rules out ‘son’rise for now
Kumaraswamy denied rumours that his 25-year-old son Nikhil Gowda would enter politics during a party function at Haliyal on January 28.
Kumaraswamy said: “If he is interested in politics, let him join. The party will take an appropriate decision. So far, the party has no such proposal,” he added. Sources said Kumaraswamy was not in favour of his son joining the politics and wants to train him on the nitty-gritty of politics first.
Nikhil has been asked to keep a tab on the party’s activities in Channapatna constituency, it is learnt. There are rumours that H D Revanna too wants to introduce one of his sons to politics.
