Mysuru: Former University of Mysore (UoM) and KSOU Vice-Chancellor Prof. K.S. Rangappa’s plunge into politics has sparked discord in JD(S) ranks in Mysuru.

Prof. Rangappa, a relative of former PM and JD(S) Supremo H.D. Deve Gowda, donned the JD(S) colours after his term as UoM Vice-Chancellor ended on Jan.10 this year.

But the party’s City Unit President K. Harish Gowda, as aspirant of JD (S) ticket from Chamaraja Assembly Constituency, has been seriously resenting Dr. Rangappa’s plans to contest from the Constituency.

After engaging with each other in shadow-boxing over the last couple of weeks, the gloves eventually came off when Prof. Rangappa’s name was proposed as the party candidate for Chamaraja Constituency during the  ‘Kumara Parva’ rally at Hebbal in city on Sunday, which was attended by former PM H.D. Deve Gowda and former CM H.D. Kumaraswamy.

Upset over the announcement of candidature of Prof. Rangappa by JD(S) leader A.H. Vishwanath at the rally, Harish Gowda, who is convinced that the former VC has the backing of H.D. Deve Gowda and H.D. Kumaraswamy, held a meeting with his supporters at Sri Chandramouleshwara Temple premises in K.G. Koppal yesterday.

Addressing the meeting, Harish Gowda said that he will enter the poll fray from Chamaraja Assembly segment as an Independent.

Pointing out that he had assiduously worked for the party in the last 10 to 12 years, Harish Gowda asserted that he would contest as a rebel candidate in the 2018 Assembly polls.

Maintaining that he was a claimant for the party ticket from the constituency even in the 2013 polls, Harish Gowda said that he made a ‘sacrifice’ when the party leaders appealed to him to allow the then BJP MLA H.S. Shankaralingegowda, who defected to the JD(S), to contest from Chamaraja.

Expressing anguish over his deliberate exclusion from the party rally in Mysuru on Sunday, he said that he was upset over the party’s decision to field a person who entered the party barely three months ago.

Terming two leaders as ‘Shakunis’ in the party, Harish Gowda alleged that these two Shakunis were carrying tales against him to former CM H.D. Kumaraswamy.

He further said that he was being sidelined as he had openly claimed to be a follower of former Minister H.D. Revanna.

Harish Gowda vowed to disclose the secrets of these two leaders who were out to harm the party.

City JD(S) Secretary Basavaraj, who also addressed the meeting, declared that most of the office-bearers of the city unit were willing to quit their posts in support of Harish Gowda, who had ‘slogged’ for the party for more than a decade.

Urging the party leadership to reconsider its decision on fielding Prof. Rangappa from Chamaraja constituency, he said that the former VC can be made an MLC.

Expressing anguish over city Mayor M.J. Ravikumar for removing Harish Gowda’s Kannada Rajyotsava banners erected in Gokulam, Basavaraj declared that the party workers were very much behind Harish Gowda and would work for him if he contests as a rebel candidate.

Leaders Mahadesh, Basavanna, Puttaraju, Kantharaju Ramanna and others attended the meeting.