JD(S) second list out: Revanna’s wife Bhavani not the candidate from Hassan seat

The Janata Dal (Secular) released its second list of candidates with 50 names with the notable omission of Bhavani Revanna. Janata Dal (Secular) leader HD Kumaraswamy prevailed and ensured the ticket went to HP Swaroop, son of former Minister HS Prakash, whom he had favoured from the beginning. The party had announced the names of 143 candidates in two lists, and now candidates for 81 constituencies remain.

The issue of a ticket for Bhavani to contest the Hassan Assembly constituency had festered for the last two and half months, and not even JD(S) supreme HD Deve Gowda was able to put it to rest immediately. Speaking at a press conference while releasing the second list on Friday, April 14, Kumaraswamy said that it was a consensus decision of the family and he had held discussions with Bhavani and she agreed with the decision. “There is no possibility of dissension within the family. This decision has been taken with Revanna’s blessing,” he said.

Backing his brother, Revanna also reiterated that the decision taken was unanimous and said that his wife Bhavani had agreed to the decision. An elated Swaroop told reporters in Hassan that he was ready to work together with all the party members in Hassan. “I had trust that the party would select me,” he said. The Hassan constituency has turned into a high-stakes contest for JD(S) as they seek to defeat BJP sitting MLA and candidate Preetham J Gowda.

Swaroop’s father HS Prakash, a three-term MLA had lost to Preetham in 2018. Prakash passed away later in the year.

Meanwhile, YSV Datta will contest from Kadur on the JD(S) ticket. Datta, a long-time JD(S) man and a Deve Gowda loyalist made news when he decided to join Congress earlier this year after his relations with Kumaraswamy had turned lukewarm over the last couple of years. But he received a jolt when Congress announced Anand KS, a DK Shivakumar loyalist. Datta had announced that he would run as an independent candidate but ended up returning to the JD(S) fold, with HD Revanna and Prajwal Revanna openly announcing their support for him at a public event on April 13.

Other notable names included former minister A Manju getting the ticket for Arkalgud. He joined the JD(S) last month after leaving the BJP. Farmer leader Kadabur Manjunath will contest from Gundlupet. In Bengaluru, M Munegowda will contest from Yelahanka, Mohammad Mustaf from Sarvagnanagar and Javare Gowda will contest from Yeshwantpur.

MP Kumaraswamy, the MLA, who represented the Mudigere constituency who quit BJP and resigned as MLA in the morning joined the JD(S) party.