Nikhil Kumaraswamy's Kolar tour revives JD(S) cadres but exposes internal rifts

Deccan Herald

3 days ago

Kolar: In a bid to position Nikhil Kumaraswamy as the next State President of the JD(S), the party high command has launched a statewide outreach campaign, with Nikhil touring various districts. His recent visit to Kolar district has sparked renewed interest among demoralised JD(S) leaders in Kolar district, while also exposing underlying rifts and a lack of co-ordination among local leaders.Over three days, Nikhil led bike rallies and public meetings across Bangarpet, Kolar, Srinivaspur, and Malur. These events have invigorated grassroots-level workers and offered a much-needed morale boost to a party that has been organisationally stagnant in the district.Kolar, once a JD(S) stronghold, has seen declining influence in recent years. Former chief minister and current Union Minister H D Kumaraswamy has visited the district only once in recent times, and the party has since struggled to maintain a cohesive presence. JD(S) suffered setbacks in the recent DCC Bank and KOMUL elections, except in Kolar and Mulabagilu. Despite internal conflicts within the Congress, JD(S) failed to capitalise on those opportunities.Major issueA major issue highlighted during the tour was the lack of effective district-level leadership. Many JD(S) leaders remain confined to their taluks, and post the 2023 Assembly defeat, communication between party workers and second-tier leaders has broken down. In regions like Bangarpet, KGF, and Malur, local workers claim the party's presence has become virtually invisible.However, Nikhil's visit appears to have reignited organisational activity. His presence prompted meetings between taluk and village-level leaders and encouraged renewed outreach and mobilisation efforts. Notably, the tour brought together leaders with longstanding differences, such as MP M Mallesh Babu and Mulabagilu MLA Samruddhi Manjunath, who shared the stage during one of the events.Visible discordYet, signs of internal discord surfaced publicly. During a rally in Kolar, JD(S) legislators and the MP reportedly engaged in verbal spats in Nikhil's presence. Questions were also raised about Nikhil skipping a visit to the Mulabagilu constituency.Samruddhi Manjunath, who is facing criticism within the party for being limited to Mulabagilu constituency, subtly mocked MLA G K Venkatashivareddy, who is also the JD(S) district president, and MP Mallesh Babu.Even Mallesh Babu engaged in a veiled dig. Finally, Nikhil attempted to downplay the tensions by referring to the two as 'brothers' and calling for party unity.Crowds, but no votes?Despite the enthusiastic turnout at JD(S) events, party leaders remain concerned that this hasn't translated into electoral gains. H D Kumaraswamy's earlier 'Panchratna Yatra' also attracted large gatherings but resulted in just two Assembly wins in the district.Citing the previous Lok Sabha victory in Kolar — where a JD(S)-BJP alliance candidate won — Nikhil expressed optimism. He set an ambitious goal of winning at least 8 out of 11 Assembly seats in Kolar and Chikkaballapur districts in the 2028 elections.'Past electoral defeats have not affected my resolve. I will travel across the state to strengthen the party organisation and lead JD(S) to future victories. I received a positive response in Kolar and Chikkaballapur. Building the party is not something that can be done by me or Kumaraswamy alone. It requires the support of all leaders and grassroots workers," he said.Daily work mandateNikhil also announced that JD(S) tickets for the upcoming local body and Assembly elections will be given to those who begin party organisation work right away. He has instructed aspirants to dedicate at least three hours daily to strengthening the party at the grassroots level. Additionally, he stated that candidates for the taluk and zilla panchayat elections will be selected based on survey reports.JD(S) leader fom Kolar CMR Srinath opined that Nikhil's visit has revitalised a party that was in a state of neglect in Kolar. He motivated the workers and helped resolve misunderstandings among leaders. His visit was essential for the district.New JD(S) district president soughtDuring Nikhil Kumaraswamy's visit, party workers and local leaders pressed for the appointment of a new JD(S) district president. Prior to this, a delegation had also met with H D Kumaraswamy to submit the same request.They urged the leadership to consider appointing either CMR Srinath, Samruddhi Manjunath, or Anand Reddy to the post. Meanwhile, it is learned that the current district president and Srinivaspur MLA G K Venkatashivareddy has informed the party leadership of his willingness to step down from the position.