Hunsur: GTD on silent mode amidst high-decibel campaign

When former chief ministers H D Kumaraswamy and Siddaramaiah are hoping that JD(S) MLA G T Devegowda will extend support to their respective party candidates for the bypolls in Hunsur, Devegowda has distanced himself from the poll politics and is keeping himself busy attending religious programmes.

Hunsur Assembly segment is witnessing a high-decibel campaign as the leaders, including the former chief minister and ministers camping in the district and campaigning for their respective candidates.

Devegowda took part in religious programmes at his Chamundeshwari constituency on Friday. He, along with his wife Lalitha and son G D Harish Gowda, also Mysuru-Chamarajanagar Districts Central Cooperative Bank President, attended Srinivasa Kalyanotsava at Dadakalahalli. Devegowda, actively took part in the temple rituals by dancing holding garland, along with his wife, during the celebrations. He also attended a programme at Sri Parvathi Mahadevamma temple at Talur village.

Though the JD(S) leader
H D Kumaraswamy toured Hunsur assembly segment on Friday, Devegowda stayed away. Kumaraswamy, who said that he will not speak to Devegowda seeking his support, later claimed that the latter and his family members would support JD(S) candidate Devarahalli Somashekar.

Speaking to reporters on Thursday, Siddaramaiah too said that he will speak to Devegowda seeking support to Congress candidate H P Manjunath.

However, Devegowda, who was with BJP between 2008 and 2012, has been praising BJP leaders, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa.

Devegowda has maintained distance from the party and the leaders since JD(S)-Congress formed the government in 2018. His relationship with the party leaders soured after he was not allocated the preferred portfolio in former chief minister H D Kumaraswamy’s cabinet.

Wait and watch policy

According to the sources close to Devegowda, he is following a wait and see policy. The leaders from all the three parties have been approaching Devegowda, but, he has not responded to anyone.

Devegowda is a JD(S) strongman in the region and has contested three times from Hunsur. He contested from JD(S) and elected as MLA in 2004. He had lost in 1999 as Janata Dal candidate and in 2008 as BJP candidate. In 2013, he shifted to Chamundeshwari and won on JD(S) ticket. Devegowda defeated former chief minister Siddaramaiah by a margin of 35,000 votes from Chamundeshwari in 2018 elections.