Bengaluru: K.R. Pet rebel JD(S) MLA K.C. Narayanagowda yesterday held women members of former Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda’s family responsible for his decision to resign from his Assembly membership. 

Stirring a hornet’s nest, Narayanagowda told media that he was forced to resign because Deve Gowda’s family constantly interfered in the administration. “I was repeatedly humiliated by women members of Gowda’s family. They constantly interfered in my Constituency work and supported my opponents. Both Gowda and his son Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy did nothing to help me despite my repeated requests,” he told reporters.

He claimed he was made to stand in a corner in Gowda’s house when he went there while opponents from his Constituency were made to sit at the dining table with them. “It was humiliating as we the elected representatives are made to stand near the place where Deve Gowda’s family kept their slippers,” he said. 

Party insiders admit that all of Deve Gowda’s six children interfere in the administration and transfers in one way or the other. Anasuya, Deve Gowda’s eldest daughter (his muddina magalu – beloved daughter) and Shylaja, his younger daughter, have been known to treat MLAs and MLCs ‘like dirt’, say party sources.

Besides them, H.D. Balakrishna, a retired KAS Officer and H.D. Ramesh also interfere in the day-to-day administration, they say.  Complaints of interference against Anasuya are many. She was also considered for K.R. Pet Constituency as JD(S) candidate.

Anasuya is the wife of Dr. C.N. Manjunath, Director of Jayadeva Group of Hospitals. 

Narayanagowda alleged that it was they who had prevailed on Nikhil Kumaraswamy to contest the Lok Sabha elections from Mandya. “We advised Nikhil that the elections will be a tough fight against Sumalatha Ambarish who finally managed to win the polls,” Narayanagowda said.  

“In have no grouse against Kumaraswamy, brother Revanna or Nikhil but only against Deve Gowda’s elder daughter. Many times we had apprised Kumaraswamy but that did not yield any results. Neither bills on drilling of borewells were cleared nor sufficient funds released for local development work in my Constituency. Tell me how can we fulfil the aspirations of the people in such a situation,” he asked the media. 

Continuing his tirade, the JD(S) MLA said that he had no powers to identify candidates and give party tickets for the Municipal elections. “A grant of Rs. 6 crore was given to my political opponent for taking up development work in my Constituency. I can give you many examples like these where the MLAs are humiliated and projected as villains in front of the people of their Constituencies,” he added. 

Interestingly, former JD(S) State President A.H. Vishwanath (now among the MLAs who have resigned) also blamed the Gowda family for not giving him a free hand. “I was a JD(S) State Unit President only in name,” he said.