<p>Family and hereditary politics are here to stay, irrespective of the party. Even as former chief minister Siddaramaiah is trying to ‘settle’ his son and grandson as his heirs in Varuna and Chamundeshwari Assembly constituencies, his daughter-in-law Smitha, wife of his late elder son Rakesh, canvassed for the ex-CM in villages under Thayur Grama Panchayat limits in Varuna segment, on Thursday.</p>.<p>“Siddaramaiah’s wife Parvathi is rarely seen in the public, Smitha too was aloof from both extended family and politics till 2018. She is living in Bengaluru. However, in the first week of May in 2018, Smitha Rakesh canvassed for Siddaramaiah in Chamundeshwari. Dr Yathindra, a bachelor, is at present, Varuna MLA,” said a source close to Siddaramaiah’s family.</p>.<p><strong>Also Read: <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/election/karnataka/how-karnataka-cms-have-fared-in-elections-in-the-last-15-years-1211886.html" target="_blank">How Karnataka CMs have fared in elections in the last 15 years</a></strong></p>.<p>It can be noted that Siddaramaiah introduced grandson Dhawan Rakesh to the political process on April 18. “This is my last election. After that, Yathindra and Dhawan will continue contesting elections. Dhawan is still 17 years old. He has to be 25-year-old, to contest elections. He will contest elections after completing his education. Your affection for Dhawan reminds me of the love and affection shown to his father, the late Rakesh," said Siddaramaiah in Nanjangud on April 19, before filing his nomination paper for the Assembly poll from Varuna segment.</p>.<p>Siddaramaiah faced eight elections from Chamundeshwari and won in 1983, 1985, 1994, 2004 and 2006. He lost in 1989, 1999 and 2018. In the 2008 and 2013 elections, he won the newly-formed Varuna constituency and Badami in 2018. He contested in Chamundeshwari and Badami in 2018, allowing his son Dr Yathindra to contest Varuna.</p>.<p>“As Rakesh did not do well in studies, Siddaramaiah saw him as his heir apparent and groomed him to take up the mantle. Rakesh was also sharp in picking up the ropes of politics and had nurtured Chamundeshwari as his area of operation. He even developed a farm and built a house at T Katur under the constituency. He had his own contacts and network in the constituency, both within the Congress and outside. Besides, he was also managing the affairs of his father’s Varuna constituency — both political and administrative,” said the source.</p>.<p>“Siddaramaiah was canvassing from April 18 to 20 in Varuna. Now, Dr Yathindra is canvassing for Siddaramaiah. Smitha Rakesh is also campaigning for her father-in-law. It will help to encash the sympathy for Smitha, from supporters and well-wishers of Rakesh, to garner more votes in the May 10 poll,” said sources.</p>
<p>Family and hereditary politics are here to stay, irrespective of the party. Even as former chief minister Siddaramaiah is trying to ‘settle’ his son and grandson as his heirs in Varuna and Chamundeshwari Assembly constituencies, his daughter-in-law Smitha, wife of his late elder son Rakesh, canvassed for the ex-CM in villages under Thayur Grama Panchayat limits in Varuna segment, on Thursday.</p>.<p>“Siddaramaiah’s wife Parvathi is rarely seen in the public, Smitha too was aloof from both extended family and politics till 2018. She is living in Bengaluru. However, in the first week of May in 2018, Smitha Rakesh canvassed for Siddaramaiah in Chamundeshwari. Dr Yathindra, a bachelor, is at present, Varuna MLA,” said a source close to Siddaramaiah’s family.</p>.<p><strong>Also Read: <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/election/karnataka/how-karnataka-cms-have-fared-in-elections-in-the-last-15-years-1211886.html" target="_blank">How Karnataka CMs have fared in elections in the last 15 years</a></strong></p>.<p>It can be noted that Siddaramaiah introduced grandson Dhawan Rakesh to the political process on April 18. “This is my last election. After that, Yathindra and Dhawan will continue contesting elections. Dhawan is still 17 years old. He has to be 25-year-old, to contest elections. He will contest elections after completing his education. Your affection for Dhawan reminds me of the love and affection shown to his father, the late Rakesh," said Siddaramaiah in Nanjangud on April 19, before filing his nomination paper for the Assembly poll from Varuna segment.</p>.<p>Siddaramaiah faced eight elections from Chamundeshwari and won in 1983, 1985, 1994, 2004 and 2006. He lost in 1989, 1999 and 2018. In the 2008 and 2013 elections, he won the newly-formed Varuna constituency and Badami in 2018. He contested in Chamundeshwari and Badami in 2018, allowing his son Dr Yathindra to contest Varuna.</p>.<p>“As Rakesh did not do well in studies, Siddaramaiah saw him as his heir apparent and groomed him to take up the mantle. Rakesh was also sharp in picking up the ropes of politics and had nurtured Chamundeshwari as his area of operation. He even developed a farm and built a house at T Katur under the constituency. He had his own contacts and network in the constituency, both within the Congress and outside. Besides, he was also managing the affairs of his father’s Varuna constituency — both political and administrative,” said the source.</p>.<p>“Siddaramaiah was canvassing from April 18 to 20 in Varuna. Now, Dr Yathindra is canvassing for Siddaramaiah. Smitha Rakesh is also campaigning for her father-in-law. It will help to encash the sympathy for Smitha, from supporters and well-wishers of Rakesh, to garner more votes in the May 10 poll,” said sources.</p>
