40 yrs on, Deve Gowda-Puttuswamy rivalry plays out in Hassan – via grandsons

In the Vokkaliga heartland of Hassan in the Old Mysuru region of south Karnataka, a high-profile “battle of grandchildren” is brewing as sitting JD(S) MP Prajwal Revanna takes on the Congress’s Shreyas M Patel. While Prajwal is the grandson of former prime minister and JD((S) supremo H D Deve Gowda, Patel is likewise of Deve Gowda’s bete noire and former MP G Puttuswamy Gowda.

The high-pitched battle, due on April 26, will thus put the famous adage of the region – “Devegowdara gatthu Delhi gu gotthu (Even Delhi knows the power of Deve Gowda)” – to the test. The JD(S) is contesting just three Lok Sabha seats in alliance with the BJP.

However, this time the fact that the Deve Gowdas have continued with a family member in their Hassan citadel seems to be going against Prajwal. His rift with local workers of the BJP is another cause of concern for the sitting MP, as is the latent anger among a section of the Vokkaliga voters, the JD(S)’s traditional base.

Sensing the threat, Deve Gowda has stayed put in Hassan and addressed several rallies in the interior towns and villages of the constituency.

Spread over Hassan and parts of Chikmagalur districts, the seat has an electorate of 17.3 lakh, comprising around 5 lakh Vokkaligas, 2.5 lakh SC/ST community members, 2 lakh Lingayats, 1.5 lakh Kurubas and 1.3 lakh Muslim voters.

The political discourse in Hassan, which is marred by drought, bad roads and delayed projects, revolves more around the control of the Deve Gowda family over the region.

Javaregowda, a farmer from Dhoddahalli, says Prajwal was lucky to have won in 2019 and questions how long will the family rule the party. “There are thousands of party workers who have sacrificed for the JD(S)’ growth but all the fruits go to the