Prajwal throws hat into RR Nagar ring, puts HDK in spot of bother

Though the odds are against him, JD(S) general secretary Prajwal Revanna has decided to launch his election campaign in Rajarajeshwarinagar (RR Nagar) constituency  in Bengaluru after March 4.

As part of his election strategy, Prajwal will be mounting his attack on Congress' Munirathna, the sitting MLA of RR Nagar.

Prajwal has already been going around the constituency trying to expose the "wrongdoings" of Munirathna. This, despite his name not figuring even in the first list of JD(S) candidates. The party's state president H D Kumaraswamy is said to have promised the ticket to former corporator R Prakash.  

"My high command is Deve Gowdaji, and he is very keen that I take a plunge into politics. He wants me to contest the elections. I am not bothered if my name is in the list or not. I am not sitting in my house and asking for a ticket. I have always been a worker - I will continue to work for the people. I have decided to launch my election campaign  after March 4," he told DH on Thursday.

A video has surfaced where Prajwal is seen appealing to the RR Nagar voters to overthrow Munirathna, if they want to end the "hooliganism culture" in the constituency.

Prajwal, who was in the constituency on February 24, had charged that Munirathna had "tried to outrage the modesty of a woman corporator" and that the safety of women was at stake in the constituency.

Prajwal was referring to an incident on May 20, 2017, where his party corporator Manjula Narayanswamy was assaulted by a group of women, said to be supporters of Munirathna.

He also said that it wasn't a "big deal" that Prakash was claiming to be the candidate. "It's not a big deal that Prakash is going around, claiming that he is the candidate. Whoever the candidate is - Prajwal or XYZ, they have to come to the field and expose the flaws of the MLA. This is what I am doing. What's the point if you don't have the guts to do so?" he said.

It is rumoured that Prajwal is upset with Kumaraswamy for entering into a tacit understanding with Munirathna this time. According to sources, Kumaraswamy is said to have assured Munirathna that the party will not field Prajwal in the constituency, thereby ensuring his victory. Munirathna is producing Kannada film 'Kurukshetra,' featuring Kumaraswamy's son Nikhil.