Prajwal Revanna episode threatens legacy of Deve Gowda clan

BENGALURU: Janata Dal (Secular), a regional party formed in July 1999 after the split of Janata Dal, depicts its commitment to farmers and women through its party symbol — a woman in a green sari carrying a haystack on her head.
However, JD(S) now finds itself at the brink following the sex scandal involving one of its heirs, Prajwal Revanna, Hassan MP, alongside a kidnapping accusation against his father and MLA HD Revanna.Memes, with a pen drive replacing the haystack on woman’s head in the party symbol, have been circulating, casting doubt over the future of the HD Deve Gowda family and the party.
Some political observers say, if proven true, these allegations could well be the final blow to JD(S) and the waning influence of the Gowda family. Some senior JD(S) functionaries say Prajwal’s alleged crimes have not only eroded the party’s credibility and image but also the clout of 92-year-old Gowda, who invested years of hard work in building the party.
“We are not worried about what happens to Prajwal. Our concern is about how this issue will impact the party and appaji [Deve Gowda] since he has a good image nationally,” said a senior JD(S) function ary from Mysuru.
But others, like A Manju, the party’s Arkalgud MLA, said the Prajwal case is an “individual act” and will not roil the party. He also pointed to the transient nature of politics, saying chief minister Siddaramaiah and his deputy DK Shivakumar of Congress had campaigned for Prajwal in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections but are now criticising Prime Minister Modi for do ing so. Vishwas Shetty, political commentator, said: “Media, psephologists, and opposition leaders have frequently predicted the downfall of JD(S) but they have been proven wrong. Even in 2018, JD(S) played the role of kingmaker and HD Kumaraswamy served as CM.”
Ramesh Babu, former JD(S) functionary now a Congress spokesperson, agreed saying while the incident may have shocked Gowda — who has been grooming Prajwal as his political heir — his legacy will remain untarnished by the actions of his grandson.
But some analysts say the party is already in an existential crisis, especially with the declining health and political involvement of Gowda, its central figure, and a depleting vote share.
In the assembly polls last year, JD(S) suffered setbacks in its traditional stronghold of Old Mysuru, with both BJP and Congress making gains. It’s vote share dipped by 5% and it recorded its lowest seat tally since its inception in 1999, dropping from 37 seats in 2018 to 19 seats.
The inability of Kumaraswamy and Revanna to replicate Gowda’s connection with farmers and the Vokkaliga community, coupled with the failure of the third generation, symbolised by Nikhil Kumaraswamy’s electoral losses, further exacerbates the party’s predicament.
Some partymen say the rot began when Prajwal made his electoral politics debut from Hassan, forcing Gowda to unsuccessfully contest from Tumkur Lok Sabha seat in 2019.
Until then, Hassan district, the epicentre of JD(S) growth in Karnataka, was a testament to the giant strides Gowda had made. Only time will tell whether the scandal will mark the demise of the party and its prominent first family.
(With inputs from Lawrence Milton)