On Saturday, when the members of the Special Investigation Team (SIT) reached the home of former Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda to arrest his son HD Revanna, it was a denouement of kinds. The Padmanabhanagar home in Bengaluru has been an influence middle and fulcrum of state, and for a short interval, nationwide politics too.
The residence commanded each envy, scorn, and respect amongst opponents and followers of the Gowda household, accustomed to getting guests amongst the excessive and mighty. However, few would have imagined that cops would descend to arrest a member of the family.
For greater than a yr rumours had been swirling about the alleged sexual escapades of Gowda’s grandson Prajwal Revanna, the sole Lok Sabha member of the get together in the outgoing home. However a gag order he obtained from courts meant that no person might say something on file.
But after pendrives containing his alleged dalliances went viral, just a few girls got here ahead to formally accuse him of exploiting them. By that point, his seat had gone to the polls, and he had flown to Germany for a vacation.
This episode has set off tremors inside Karnataka political circles, with some even questioning whether or not the 25-year-old get together will survive the critical scandal facing members of its first household. 91-year-old household patriarch HD Deve Gowda suffers from kidney illness. Of his six youngsters, two sons, Revanna and Kumaraswamy, aside from their sons Prajwal and Nikhil, respectively, are in politics, aside from numerous different kin.
Even earlier than the polls, JDS was clutching at the coattails of the BJP for survival, having obtained solely 19 seats in the 224-member meeting in the final yr’s polls. Kumaraswamy, who has been twice CM, has undergone a number of coronary heart surgical procedures, together with one simply earlier than the LS polls. With Revanna behind bars for allegedly abetting his son, questions are being raised about whether or not the get together will survive its present challenges.
JDS spokesperson and get together MLC T A Sharavana refused to remark when Businessline contacted him, citing that the matter is subjudice. However, one other senior chief who didn’t wish to be recognized stated, ‘The charges are very grave and affect the reputation of our party’s first household. With Deve Gowda and Kumaraswamy not in the better of well being, 10 of the 19 legislators had carried out a mini-revolt, insisting on the suspension of Prajwal they usually needed to conform to it. It pains me to see Appaji (as Gowda is fondly known as) undergo due to the actions of his son and grandson.’
The JDS chief went onto declare that if the consequence of the LS polls was not beneficial to NDA and JDS, the get together might disintegrate. “Some of them are looking at Congress, and others at the BJP. Congress and BJP leaders refused to comment on the JDS future, saying it was too early,” political analyst Harish Ramaswamy stated. break up is feasible, relying on how the investigations go. Survival possibly primarily based on the consequence of the investigations.’
Another seasoned political watcher, Sandeep Shastri, stated, “I will be hesitant to write off any political force. Yes, the Prajwal Revanna episode has damaged the party, and beyond doubt, it is a setback for the party. But does it therefore mean that the party goes into political oblivion? I would not take that stand. In the past, the JDS has bounced back from critical challenges it has faced.”
Political circles in the State, although, are agog that the consequence of the LS outcomes on June 4 and investigations might resolve the get together’s future. For the first household of JDS, the problem is to maintain it as a going concern.
inputs by BL Intern by Nivasini Azagappan