Hassan City back in JD(S) fold, but party loses more ground in district

Demand for a ticket to his brother’s wife, Bhavani Revanna, was turned down. Instead, the party chose to pin its hopes on a ‘grassroot’ level party worker and son of four-time MLA HS Prakash, Swaroop Prakash. This was seen as a move to shed the perception of JD(S) advocating ‘dynastic politics’.

An elated Swaroop after winning Hassan city said, “The victory is a result of the blessings from HD Devegowda, HD Kumaraswamy and the JD(S) party workers. I will continue to do the development work that JD(S) undertook under its leadership earlier.”

After the defeat, Preetham Gowda told reporters, “I will continue to work for the development of Hassan. I congratulate Swaroop for this victory.”

JD(S) party workers attributed the victory in Hassan to party stalwarts such as HD Revanna, Bhavani Revanna, Kumaraswamy, and Devegowda, who backed Swaroop after burying all the internal differences in the family. However, in what appears to be a bittersweet moment, the JD(S) has lost more ground than in 2013 and 2018 in Hassan district. JD(S) captured five seats in the 2013 assembly elections and later increased their tally to six in 2018, out of the total seven assembly seats in Hassan district. However, in 2023, the JD(S) was able to win only four seats.

The JD(S) has managed to hold onto Holenarsipura, Arkalgud, and Shravanabelagola apart from Hassan, but the party lost in Belur, Arsikere, and Sakleshpur. JD(S) defector Shivalinge Gowda won Arsikere, MY Patil of Congress bagged Belur and BJP’s Cement Manju wrested Sakleshpur from HK Kumaraswamy, who was the former JD(S) state president.

Meanwhile, Revanna held onto Holenarsipura. A Manju bagged Arkalgud and CN Balakrishna won Shravanabelagola.

Although BJP is not a favorite among the people of the Old Mysore Region, the saffron party managed to make some inroads in the Hassan district. A JD(S) leader from Hassan said that Union Minister Amit Shah’s campaign in Belur and Sakleshpur is what worked in favor of the BJP. “I believe that the extensive campaign of Amit Shah in Old Mysore region, especially in Belur and Sakleshpur is what handed the JD(S) a defeat. We should have been more aggressive in campaigning in the region,” said the JD(S) leader.

He also added that Preetham Gowda’s defeat in Hassan is because of his ‘arrogance’. “Preetham Gowda lost solely because of his arrogance and half-baked work. In addition, what also worked in favour of Swaroop is the support of the Devegowda family, which appealed to the voters,” said the JD(S) leader.