Prajwal Revanna and DK Shivakumar bonding: Not just a handshake but a mark of support for 2019 General Elections
Prajwal Revanna, grandson of HD Deve Gowda who is aspiring to get on board in politics by becoming a Member of Parliament got a boost after this Handshake with DK Shivakumar. The handshake is a statement that DK Shivakumar will fully back him as he too is a Vokkaliga
FollowSituations change with changing times and in Karnataka's politics, the relationship between arch rivals DK Shivakumar and HD Deve Gowda now turning 'sweet' is testimony to that.
At the oath-taking ceremony, Congressman DKS holding hands with JD(S) leader HD Kumaraswamy and later shaking hands with HD Revanna's son Prajwal has become a talking point in oId Mysuru region.
Psephologists and political pundits say that this gesture is not just a handshake but a statement of the unity of Vokkaligas.
During BSY's rule, Lingayat leaders and officers were backed across party lines. In Siddaramaiah's tenure, there were reports of the dominant community like Gowdas, Lingayats and Brahmins coded as 'GLB' and files pertaining to them were ignored. Now Vokkaligas have buried their hatchet and stand united.
The handshake with Prajwal Revanna, grandson of HD Deve Gowda, who is aspiring to contest from Hassan for the 2019 polls, evidently points to DK Shivakumar, who is also a Vokkaliga, playing a key role in convincing top leaders in the Congress to not field any candidates and ensure Prajwal Revanna's win with thumping majority.
There is also an indication that Congress this time will align with JD(S) even for parliamentary elections and there will be a seat-sharing formula before Lok Sabha elections in 2019.
The tug of war between the Congress stalwart and JD(S) leader HD Revanna is a well-known fact. Last year, both leaders almost came to blows but other leaders pacified them and averted an embarrassing situation. But now, things have changed and it is a matter of survival for both Congress and JD(S) against the Modi-Shan juggernaut. It is this factor that has made the former arch-rivals to forget the past and back each other.
