JD(S) state president to be announced on May 24

Bengaluru: JD(S)youth wing president Nikhil Kumaraswamy, who lost the Channapatna assembly by-election last year, is gearing up to face the upcoming local body elections under the leadership of the party.

After HD Kumaraswamy took over as a Union Minister and moved into national politics, the party has been facing a shortage of a leader to lead the party in the state. In this context, JD(S), which has started the process of selecting the state president through elections, is likely to officially announce Nikhil’s name on May 24.

This is the second time that the state president is being selected through elections. Previously, former state president C M Ibrahim was also selected through elections. Similarly, Nikhil’s selection is expected to be announced through elections.

The party’s returning officer is Legislative Council member KA Thippeswamy, who is working as the party’s election officer and is planning to conduct the party’s organizational elections in a transparent manner. The registration process for party members has been started and the campaign will continue till March 15.

Panchayat and ward level elections will be held from March 17 to 29, and taluk and assembly constituency president elections will be held from April 1 to May 2. District president and district executive elections will be held from May 6 to 20. The state president election will be held on May 24. After the state president selection process is completed, a national executive meeting will be held on May 28 and 29, and the national president appointment process will be held.

There were strong demands in the party that senior party leader and core committee president GT Deve Gowda should be given the post of state president of the party. Accordingly, the party high command also agreed to make him the state president. However, GT Deve Gowda is increasingly distancing himself from the party.

GT Deve Gowda was upset after losing the position of leader of the legislative party and started distancing himself from the party. Later, after he batted for CM Siddaramaiah in the Muda scam, the party high command was upset with GT Deve Gowda. This led to further widening of the gap between the party high command and GT Deve Gowda. However, some party leaders tried to appease the high command by making GT Deve Gowda the state president. Recently, in a meeting held under the chairmanship of party chief HD Deve Gowda, all the party leaders raised their voices in favour of Nikhil. The party needs a capable leader to lead the party and organize it from the grassroots level, and Nikhil has that. It is said that there was a strong opinion that he should be made the state president. Therefore, it is learnt that Nikhil’s name is expected to be announced in the elections to be held on May 24.