Janata Dal (Secular) political party in Karnataka, India, releasing its second list of 49 candidates for the upcoming state assembly elections. HD Kumaraswamy, the leader of the party, clarified that his sister-in-law, Bhavani Revanna, would not be fielded as a candidate from the Hassan constituency, despite her aspirations. This decision was made after a family dispute arose over the selection of the candidate for the seat. The party decided to field HP Swaroop, a former Hassan zilla panchayat vice-president and son of former MLA late HS Prakash, as its candidate from the Hassan seat. Other candidates from the party include farmer leader Kadabur Manjunath, M Munegowda, Mohammad Mustaf, Javare Gowda, and former minister A Manju. The JD(S) had earlier announced its first list of 93 candidates in December.
The reference to the battle of Kurukshetra and Shakuni in the epic Mahabharata is a metaphor used by HD Kumaraswamy to refer to the alleged attempts by some people to influence his brother Revanna’s decision-making regarding the party ticket for the Hassan constituency. Shakuni, a character in the Mahabharata, is known for his deceit and manipulation, and Kumaraswamy’s use of this reference implies that he believed that some people were trying to manipulate his brother’s decision. The rift within the family over the ticket had caused tension and speculation, and Kumaraswamy’s comment shows the intensity of the situation.