JOIN USJD(S) may field Nandini Alva from Bangalore Central
In an effort to gain higher visibility in Bangalore City, the JD(S) has decided to field danseuse Nandini Alva from the Bangalore Central constituency for the coming Lok Sabha elections.
In a constituency where the minority community has a sizeable votebank, Alva’s candidature has come as a ‘surprise’ for most outsiders who are expecting a “loyalist” to represent the JD(S).
The candidature of Alva was finalised by the party leaders at a meeting held last week, with JD(S) floor leader and former chief minister H D Kumaraswamy endorsing it.
Alva’s candidature trumped the names of JD(S) Chamarajpet MLA Zameer Ahmad Khan’s brother Mujumein Khan and the party’s minority Abdul Azeem.
When contacted, Kumaraswamy said, “We hope to finalise the name of Nandini Alva. It is a decision the party leadership has taken.”
Alva, wife of former minister Dr Jeevaraj Alva, has been a prominent name in the art circuit.
Alva, however, remained non-committal on the offer. “Nothing has been finalised as of now. As I am not associated with any political party, these rumours are afloat,” she said.She also refused to comment on whether the JD(S) had approached her with the offer.
Azeem, who was initially vying for the seat, is likely to try his luck, for a second time, from the Bangalore North constituency. It is said Azeem voluntarily stepped out of the race for the Bangalore Central constituency and Zameer agreed to withdraw his brother’s candidature after discussions with the party.
Nikhil Gowda?
The JD(S) has found itself in a precarious situation over the candidate for its one-time bastion of Bangalore Rural and Mandya Lok Sabha constituencies.
With Anitha, wife of Kumaraswamy, not ready to face polls again, it is said Kumaraswamy, as a last resort, may be ‘forced’ to field his son Nikhil Gowda from the Bangalore Rural constituency, paving the way for a third generation of politicians in the party.
“As of now, we are not in a position to field any outsider from the Bangalore Rural constituency. Party workers are not ready to accept any alternative because they believe it’s my home turf,” said Kumaraswamy, remaining ambivalent over his son’s candidature.
Rakshita hopeful
In Mandya, while the leadership is likely to zero in on C S Puttaraju, film actor Rakshita is hoping to contest on a JD(S) from the constituency. While sources said it was virtually ‘impossible’ to field Rakshitha, the JD(S) may see the son of sitting JD(S) MLA from Maddur D C Thammanna as a realistic possibility.
Kumaraswamy said the official list of the JD(S) candidates will be released in the first week of March.