Mysuru: The in-fighting within the city unit of Janata Dal (Secular) has spilled over to social media with factions supporting city unit president Harish Gowda and Prof. Rangappa at logger heads.
Harish Gowda’s supporters’ are unhappy with the party top brass over ignoring their leader for proposed rally and convention at Mysuru on November 19. They contend that at least for courtesy sake, Harish Gowda’s name should have been included in the invite, as he is city unit chief of JDS, and a person who contributed immensely to the party’s growth from the grass root level. They argue that as per the party’s protocol, Harish Gowda has to take the lead, being the party’s city unit president. Meanwhile, Harish Gowda has confirmed that he has not yet received an invite for tomorrow’s meeting.
Upset with party bosses, supporters of Harish gowda have struck off the name of Prof. Rangappa in the invite and posters and instead given a thumbs up to their leader. Meanwhile Prof. Rangappa’s faction has made elaborate arrangements for the opening of a new party office in the Chamaraja assembly constituency. State JDS chief Kumaraswamy is likely to travel around the constituency in his specially designed vehicle ‘Vikas Vahini’ before addressing the public gathering.
Prof.Rangappa, former Vice-Chancellor of Mysuru University is a close family relative JDS supremo H D Devegowda and the likely candidate for Chamaraja assembly segment. Differences cropped up soon after Prof. Rangappa’s name figured in the list of prospective candidates with the faction supporting Harish Gowda opposing the move tooth and nail. There are reports of Harish Gowda contesting as an independent candidate in case JDS fails to offer him Chamaraja assembly seat and in such a scenario the situation is likely to worsen in the days to come.
