H. D. Kumaraswamy

H.D. Kumaraswamy
Kumaraswamy in 2006
18th Chief Minister of Karnataka
In office 3 February 2006 – 9 October 2007
Preceded by	Dharam Singh
Succeeded by	President's rule
Constituency	Ramanagara
Personal details
Born	(1957-12-16) 16 December 1957 Haradanahalli, Karnataka, India
Nationality	Indian
Political party	Janata Dal (Secular)
Spouse(s)	Anitha Kumaraswamy, Radhika
Children	Nikhil Gowda(son) Shamika(daughter)
Residence	Bangalore
Profession	Agriculturist, businessman, Movie Producer, politician and social worker
Religion	Hinduism
Website	www.hdkumaraswamy.co.in
As of april, 2015 Source:

H. D. Kumaraswamy (born 16 December 1957) is an Indian politician who was the 18th Chief Minister of Karnataka, a state in southern India. His father is the former Prime Minister of India H. D. Deve Gowda. Popularly known as "KumarAnna" (Kumar, the name and "anna" in Kannada means "elder brother") among his friends and followers, was a noted film producer, distributor and exhibitor in the Kannada film industry.^[1] He is President of Karnataka State Janata Dal (Secular).^[2]

Early life and education

Kumaraswamy was born in Haradanahalli, Holenarasipura Taluk, Hassan District, Karnataka to H. D. Deve Gowda and Chennamma.^[3]

He finished his high school studies in Bangalore's MES Educational Institution in Jayanagar. He completed his PUC from Vijaya College and earned his Bsc from National College in Jayanagar, Bangalore. He married Anita on 13 March 1986, at Palace Grounds, Bangalore. He has a son, Nikhil Gowda with Anitha Kumaraswamy.^[4]

Film career

Though H.D. Kumaraswamy was the son of H. D. Deve Gowda, a politician in Karnataka and former Prime Minister of India, he was not interested in politics initially. He was very much into film-making and film distribution. He has produced several successful Kannada films. Among which, the film Chandra Chakori was a huge hit, credited with 365 days run in theatres. He is a great fan of Kannada actor thespian Rajkumar, and that attracted him into the film industry. In an interview he has admitted that in his college days, he used to wear clothes which Rajkumar wore in the movies, especially similar pants.

Political career

He entered politics by winning the Kanakapura (Bangalore Rural District) Lok Sabha seat in 1996. He sought re-election from Kanakapura in 1998 and lost. He again contested unsuccessfully for a Sathanur assembly seat in 1999. In 2004, he was elected to represent the Ramanagara assembly segment. When the 2004 state elections resulted in a hung assembly with no party getting enough seats to form a government, the Indian National Congress and Janata Dal (Secular) (JD(S)) parties decided to come together and form a coalition government. Known for his adaptability and friendly nature, Dharam Singh of the Congress was the unanimous choice of both parties to head the government.^[5] He was sworn in as Chief Minister on 28 May 2004.^[6] Forty-two MLAs of Janata Dal (Secular) under Kumaraswamy's leadership left the coalition and the government collapsed. On 28 January 2006, Karnataka Governor T. N. Chaturvedi invited Kumaraswamy to form the government in the state after the resignation of the Congress Government led by Dharam Singh.

He was Chief Minister of Karnataka, from 4 February 2006 to 9 October 2007. On 27 September 2007, Kumaraswamy said that he would leave office on 3 October as part of a power-sharing agreement between the Janata Dal (Secular) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), despite the calls of some legislators in the JD(S) for him to remain in office for the time being, due to complications in arranging the transfer of power.^[7] However, on 4 October 2007, he refused to transfer power to BJP.^[8] Finally on 8 October 2007, he tendered his resignation to Governor Rameshwar Thakur, and the state was put under President's rule two days later.^[9] However, he reconciled later and decided to offer support to the BJP. BJP's B. S. Yeddyurappa was sworn in as the Chief Minister of Karnataka on 12 November 2007.

After the untimely demise of Karnataka state JD(S) President Merajuddin Patel, he was elected unopposed as President of the state unit.^[10]

However after the by-election results of Bangalore Rural Lok Sabha constituency and Mandya^[11] in which his party candidates lost, he resigned from the post of President of the Janata Dal (Secular) State unit, and as leader of the opposition.^[12] However party cadre succeeded in convincing him not to quit as leader of opposition in the Karnataka Assembly.^[13]

In September 2013, A. Krishnappa was selected as Janata Dal-Secular's president for Karnataka, filling the vacancy left by Kumaraswamy.^[14]

Positions held

• 1996: Elected to 11th Lok Sabha
• 2004–08: Member, Karnataka Legislative Assembly
• Feb. 2006-Oct.2007: Chief Minister, Karnataka
• 2009: Re-elected to 15th Lok Sabha (2nd term)
• 31 August 2009: Member, Committee on Rural Development
• 15 October 2009: Member, Committee on Food Management in Parliament House Complex.^[15][16]
• 31 May. 2013: Leader of Opposition, Karnataka Legislative Assembly.

Second Marriage scandal

While he was still the CM of Karnataka, Kumaraswamy shocked by travelling abroad with Kannada actress Radhika for a holiday.^[17][18] Besides the holiday in Mauritius, there were unconfirmed reports in the media about the two spending time together at various hill stations in Karnataka.^[17][18]

In November 2010, actress Radhika revealed that she was married to H. D. Kumaraswamy.^[19][20] A public interest litigation was filed, by Bangalore-based advocate Shashidhar Belagumbe, seeking the disqualification of the JD(S) Ramanagara MP for violating the Hindu Marriage Act, 1955, stating that the second marriage amounts to bigamy, which is in violation of the law and is illegal under Section 494 of the IPC and that any violation prescribes punishment of up to seven years and a fine.^[17][18] As proof of Kumaraswamy's 'affair' with Radhika, the petitioner submitted newspaper reports quoting the actor as having married the former CM and photographs of Kumaraswamy and Radhika together with the child.^[17][21]
Later the Karnataka High Court dismissed the writ petition on 9 April 2012.^[22]

According to Radhika, she married Kumaraswamy in 2006.^[20][23] Radhika's daughter's name is Shamika K. Swamy and after the child was born, Kumaraswamy took part in the birthday celebrations and the event's pictures were released by Radhika.^[17][20] It is also alleged that he bought a TV channel for her.^[24] Radhika has made a comeback into the movie industry.^[18][25] The Lokayukta had demanded Kumaraswamy that all assets and liabilities in Radhika's name should be made public.^[18][25] Kumaraswamy and his family, including his father and former Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda, have maintained strict silence on the issue.^[17][18][20]

References

External links

• Second Marriage scandalAccessed Nov 2011
• Radhika Kumaraswamy on YouTube Accessed Mar 2014
• 'A true story' on IBNAccessed Mar 2014
• Kumaraswamy to form the Government in KaranatakaAccessed: 29 January 2006
• Man who could become Karnataka's CM Accessed: 29 January 2006
• "Man who could become Karnataka's CM" – rediff.com article dated 19 January 2006
• HDK Watch
• I have not betrayed my father: H.D. KumaraswamyAccessed: 29 January 2006
• Son of soil: IndiaInfo.comAccessed: 29 January 2006