H. D. Kumaraswamy

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H. D. Kumaraswamy
H. D. Kumaraswamy meets union Minister.jpg
18th Chief Minister of Karnataka
In office
23 May 2018 – 23 July 2019
GovernorVajubhai Vala
Succeeded byB. S. Yediyurappa
In office
3 February 2006 – 9 October 2007
GovernorT. N. Chaturvedi
Rameshwar Thakur
DeputyB. S. Yeddyurappa
Preceded byDharam Singh
Succeeded byPresident's rule
Member of the Karnataka Legislative Assembly from Channapatna
Assumed office
16 May 2018
Preceded byC. P. Yogeeshwara
ConstituencyChannapatna
Leader of the Opposition in the Karnataka Legislative Assembly
In office
31 May 2013 – 22 January 2014
Preceded bySiddaramaiah
Succeeded byJagadish Shettar
Personal details
Born
Haradanahalli Kumaraswamy

(1959-12-16) 16 December 1959 (age 64)
Haradanahalli, Mysore State, India
Political partyJanata Dal (Secular)
Other political
affiliations
Janata Dal
Spouse(s)
Children .Shamika Kumaraswamy
Parent(s)
RelativesH. D. Revanna (brother)
ProfessionPolitician, Film producer

Haradanahalli Devegowda Kumaraswamy, (born 16 December 1959) known among followers as Kumaranna (Kumar, the elder brother), is an Indian politician and businessman who served as the 18th Chief Minister of Karnataka from 23 May 2018 to 23 July 2019. He is a former president of the Karnataka State Janata Dal (Secular) and son of former Prime Minister of India H. D. Deve Gowda.[1]

Kumaraswamy has served two terms as the Chief Minister of Karnataka–2006 to 2007 and 2018 to 2019. He resigned from the position of Chief Minister on 23 July 2019 after his coalition government lost a no trust motion in the 15th Assembly to the Bharatiya Janata Party.[2]

Early life and education[edit]

Kumaraswamy[3] was born in Haradanahalli, Holenarasipura taluk of Hassan district, Karnataka to H. D. Deve Gowda and Chennamma.[4]

He completed primary education in a government school in Hassan district. He finished his high school studies in Bangalore's MES Educational Institution in Jayanagar and Bachelor of Science degree from National College Basavanagudi, Bangalore.[5][6] On the 16th of April, 2021, he tested positive for COVID-19[7]

Personal life[edit]

On 13 March 1986, Kumaraswamy married Anitha Kumaraswamy. They have a son, Nikhil Gowda.[4][8]

In November 2010, Kannada film actress Radhika revealed that she married Kumaraswamy in 2006.[9][1][10] They have a daughter named Shamika Kumaraswamy.[11][12][13]

Political career[edit]

Kumaraswamy entered politics by winning from Kanakapura (in Ramanagara District) in the 1996 general elections. He sought re-election from Kanakapura in 1998 and lost to M. V. Chandrashekara Murthy. This was Kumaraswamy's worst defeat ever where he lost by such a margin that he even forfeited his deposit.[14]

He again contested unsuccessfully for a Sathanur assembly seat in 1999 when he was defeated by congress heavyweight D. K. Shivakumar. 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.[15] He was sworn in as Chief Minister on 28 May 2004.[16] 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.[17] However, on 4 October 2007, he refused to transfer power to the BJP.[18] 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.[19] 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. But, again refused to support BJP government over a disagreement on sharing of ministries which resulted in Yeddyurappa resignation as Chief Minister on 19 November 2007.[20]

After the untimely demise of Karnataka state JD(S) President Merajuddin Patel, he was elected unopposed as President of the state unit.[21]

However, after the by-election results of Bangalore Rural Lok Sabha constituency and Mandya[22] 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.[23] However, party cadres succeeded in convincing him not to quit as leader of opposition in the Karnataka Assembly.[24] In September 2013, A. Krishnappa was selected as Janata Dal-Secular's president for Karnataka, filling the vacancy left by Kumaraswamy.[25]

In November 2014 Kumaraswamy was elected as Karnataka state Janata Dal (Secular) President.[26][1] Kumaraswamy is also known for accusing political rivals of corruption.[27][28][29]

Kumaraswamy met Prime Minister Narendra Modi after becoming Chief Minister in May 2018

In 2018 elections in Karnataka state, JD(S) was the third-largest party but after a post-poll alliance with the Rahul Gandhi led Indian National Congress, he was sworn in as the Chief Minister on 23 May 2018.[30]

In the 2019 parliament elections, his son Nikhil Gowda contested in the Mandya (Lok Sabha constituency) against an independent candidate Sumalatha, wife of film actor Late Ambareesh.[31] Kumaraswamy took this contest as a prestige[32] and campaigned all across the constituency. In vain his son lost the election by a margin of 1,30,000 odd votes.[33] This was a major setback and abashment to Kumaraswamy in his political career. He also shed tears in a party convention in Mandya, recalling the election loss faced by his son.[34]

On the month of July 2019, His Government lost its majority when 13 MLAs of Congress and 3 MLAs of his own party resigned to their MLA Posts. BSP MLA Mahesh N & 2 Independent MLAs withdrew their support for H.D.Kumaraswamy led coalition Government in Karnataka. On 23 July Kumaraswamy lost his majority in Karnataka floor test. Kumaraswamy resigned to the Chief Minister post, by submitting his resignation letter to governor Vajubhai Vala on 23 July 2019. Then BJP was invited to form the government as the single largest party, by the governor and B. S.Yediyurappa took oath as the Chief Minister of Karnataka by succeeding him.

Positions held[edit]

Kumaraswamy in December 2006

Source : [35][36]

Year Position
1996 Member, 11th Lok Sabha
2004–08 Member, Karnataka Legislative Assembly
2008-09 Member, Karnataka Legislative Assembly
2009-13 Member, 15th Lok Sabha
  • 31 August 2009: Member, Committee on Rural Development
  • 15 October 2009: Member, Committee on Food Management in Parliament House Complex
2013–18 Member, Karnataka Legislative Assembly
2018 – Member, Karnataka Legislative Assembly

Film and television[edit]

Kumaraswamy is into film production and distribution. He has produced several Kannada films including Chandra Chakori, a huge hit, credited with 365 day-run in theaters.[37] Surya Vamsha which was directed by S. Narayan was the debut movie produced by Kumaraswamy under Chennambika films, named after his mother. In 2016 his banner also produced his son's debut movie Jaguar (2016 film) and his 2nd movie Seetharama Kalyana in 2019.

In September 2007, Kumaraswamy started the Kannada television channel Kasturi. The channel is now owned and managed by his wife Anitha.

Controversies[edit]

Bigamy charges[edit]

Kumaraswamy was accused of bigamy which is illegal according to Hindu Marriage Act, 1955 of India. A public interest litigation was filed after media reports of his marriage to Kannada cinema actress Radhika Kumaraswamy surfaced. Since Kumaraswamy is married to his first wife Anitha, his second marriage with Radhika is a violation of law .[38] However a division bench of Karnataka High Court headed by Chief Justice Vikramajit Sen dismissed the case citing "lack of proof".[39]

Janthakal mining scam[edit]

Kumaraswamy and his wife Anitha are facing charges in the Janthakal mining scam. He is accused of pressuring a senior bureaucrat to renew Janthakal Enterprise's lease of iron ore mining for 40 years on the basis of forged documents and violating several rules. The bureaucrat, Ganga Ram Baderiya, was allegedly given kickbacks by Janthakal Enterprise. The owner of Janthakal Enterprises, mining baron Vinod Goel, was arrested in 2015 on charges of forgery. A Special Investigation Team (SIT) is probing this scam on the direction of Supreme Court of India.[40][41][42]

Vishwabharati case[edit]

Kumaraswamy and his wife Anitha are accused of misuse of official position in allotment of 80 acres of land to Vishwabharati House Building Cooperative Society Ltd, a private cooperative society, which later made a quid pro quo site allotment to Anitha, during Kumaraswamy's tenure as Chief Minister in 2006.[43][42]

Accusations of skirting law and order[edit]

In December 2018, Kumaraswamy was caught on tape purportedly instructing someone, allegedly a senior police officer, to avenge the killing of a local Janata Dal (Secular) leader, Honnalagere Prakash. He was heard saying: "He (Prakash) was a good man, I don't know why did they murder him. Kill them (assailants) mercilessly in a shootout, no problem."[44]

The video was shared widely on social media and Kumaraswamy came under heavy criticism by the opposing party, accusing him of being irresponsible and skirting proper law and order. His office later issued a statement saying the comments were an emotional reaction to the incident and not orders.[45]

Release of CD on Mangalore protests[edit]

Kumaraswamy called for a press meet and released a CD containing 35 video clips of the violence during the Mangalore protests against the CAA.[46] The video presented the policemen acting violently against the protesters and beating up the civilians of the city, leading to riots in the city. He accused that the police directly followed the government orders inhumanly and were the main reason for the shoot out that killed 2 people during the protests.[47]

The BJP in return accused that these video clips are all edited versions of older footages of some other circumstances.[48] They also said that Kumaraswamy is misleading the people by producing inappropriate footages in public that provokes confusion and violence among the people.[49] The BJP included saying that Kumaraswamy, being a senior politician in the state is directly accusing the government officials and the police, which is unacceptable.[50]

Accusation of Illegal Mining near KRS Dam[edit]

The MP of Mandya Sumalatha Ambareesh accused that the ongoing Illegal Mining in and around the areas of KRS Dam, would bring in a significant damage to the historic reservoir. She directly charged that JDS members headed by H. D. Kumaraswamy were involved in the mining. This further lead to brutal verbal arguments between the two.[51]

The verbal spat had begun on July 5 when Kumaraswamy made personal attacks against Sumalatha over the issue of leasing out MySugar factory in Mandya to private industries and illegal mining near KRS dam, which elicited a sharp reaction from the actress-turned politician.[52] Accusations were also made that her phone was being tapped during JDS-Congress tenure. She also hit out at Kumaraswamy and his party colleagues for repeatedly bringing in her late husband and popular actor-turned-politician Ambareesh's name to attack her. [53]

References[edit]

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 And the new Janata Dal (s) chief is HD Kumaraswamy Archived 17 December 2014 at the Wayback Machine
  2. "Karnataka's caretaker Chief Minister H. D. Kumaraswamy speaks about the Party's future". Timesnownews.com.
  3. Kumaraswamy,Shri H.D.Archived 7 January 2014 at the Wayback Machine on the Lok Sabha website.
  4. 4.0 4.1 "Profile and Biography of Karnataka Chief Minister H.D.Kumaraswamy". Archived from the original on 17 December 2014. Retrieved 17 December 2014.
  5. "Profile and Biography of Former Karnataka Chief Minister H.D.Kumaraswamy". KarnatakaSpider.com. 27 August 2011.
  6. [1]
  7. Service, Tribune News. "JDS leader HD Kumaraswamy tests Covid positive". Tribuneindia News Service. Retrieved 17 April 2021.
  8. "From film industry to CM office: All you need to know about Karnataka's 'possible new CM' HD Kumaraswamy". 15 May 2018. Archived from the original on 24 May 2018.
  9. "I'm Mrs Kumaraswamy: Radhika". The Times of India. 21 November 2010. Archived from the original on 6 November 2012.
  10. "Radhika Kumarswamy goes open on her Connections". Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 21 May 2016.
  11. "Actor Ramya opens up on HD Kumaraswamy's second marriage". India Today. 19 February 2016. Retrieved 27 May 2019.
  12. Gowda, Aravind. "Kumaraswamy in trouble". India Today. Retrieved 10 April 2014.
  13. SM, Shashiprasad (26 April 2017). "Radhika Kumaraswamy: Rads to filmi riches". Deccan Chronicle. Retrieved 22 September 2019.
  14. "Gowda set to contest Kanakapura byelection". The Hindu. 10 January 2002. Archived from the original on 11 June 2018.
  15. "Dharam Singh chosen leader of CLP". The Times of India. 24 May 2004. Archived from the original on 3 January 2013.
  16. "Dharam Singh, Siddaramaiah sworn in". The Hindu. 29 May 2004. Archived from the original on 12 March 2007.
  17. "Kumaraswamy says he will quit on Oct. 3" Archived 21 April 2008 at the Wayback Machine, PTI (The Hindu), 27 September 2007.
  18. M, Anil Kumar (17 October 2011). "October effect haunts BS Yeddyurappa". The Times of India. Archived from the original on 19 October 2011.
  19. "Karnataka under President Rule". Financial Express. 9 October 2007. Archived from the original on 13 April 2014.
  20. "Yeddyurappa quits rather than face trust vote". The Hindu. 20 November 2007 – via www.thehindu.com.
  21. "Kumaraswamy elected JDS Legislature party leader". The Deccan Herald. 20 May 2013. Archived from the original on 13 April 2014.
  22. Satish, D. P. (24 August 2013). "Congress wins Karnataka by-polls by heavy margin". IBN Live. Archived from the original on 24 August 2013.
  23. Shankar, Vijay (24 August 2013). "Kumaraswamy resigns as assembly Oppn leader and JD(S) state prez". One India News. Archived from the original on 4 October 2013.
  24. "Kumaraswamy still Leader of Opposition in Assembly". The Hindu. 30 August 2013. Archived from the original on 31 August 2013.
  25. "A. Krishnappa elected State JD(S) president". The Hindu. 12 September 2013. Archived from the original on 13 September 2013.
  26. "H D Deve Gowda announces son as party president of Karnataka unit – The Economic Times".
  27. "Who is HD Kumaraswamy? | Bengaluru News – Times of India". Timesofindia.indiatimes.com. Archived from the original on 27 May 2018. Retrieved 24 May 2018.
  28. "JDS Releases CD of BJP MLA Trying to 'Buy' Its MLA". Outlook India. 21 October 2010. Archived from the original on 1 December 2017. Retrieved 22 November 2017.
  29. "Karnataka: JD-S releases CD of BJP bribery attempt". Rediff.com. 21 October 2010. Archived from the original on 1 December 2017. Retrieved 22 November 2017.
  30. "Amid Opposition show of strength, H D Kumaraswamy, G Parameshwara take oath as Karnataka Chief minis". The New Indian Express. Archived from the original on 24 May 2018. Retrieved 24 May 2018.
  31. "Nikhil contests from mandya". www.livemint.com. 4 March 2019. Retrieved 7 January 2020.
  32. "Karnataka CM considers Mandya a prestige". www.outlookindia.com. 10 April 2019. Retrieved 7 January 2020.
  33. "JDS loses Mandy Lok sabha". www.newindianexpress.com. 23 May 2019. Retrieved 7 January 2020.
  34. "Kumaraswamy breaks down in Mandya". www.thenewsminute.com. 27 November 2019. Retrieved 7 January 2020.
  35. "Members of Parliament (Lok Sabha): Detailed Profile: Shri H.D. Kumaraswamy". Government of India. Archived from the original on 4 May 2012.
  36. "Fifteenth Lok Sabha Members: Bioprofile". Lok Sabha. Archived from the original on 28 July 2009. Retrieved 14 February 2012.
  37. "Karnataka CM hopeful HD Kumaraswamy's Kannada film connection | People News". Zeenews.india.com. 15 March 2018. Archived from the original on 24 May 2018. Retrieved 24 May 2018.
  38. "Kumaraswamy in trouble for alleged second marriage with Kannada actor Radhika". India Today. Archived from the original on 28 April 2018. Retrieved 27 April 2018.
  39. "HC dismisses petition on bigamy against HD Kumaraswamy". Archived from the original on 19 April 2014.
  40. "Ex-Karnataka Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy Could Now Be Arrested". NDTV.com. Archived from the original on 28 April 2018. Retrieved 27 April 2018.
  41. "Karnataka illegal mining scam: SC relief to SM Krishna, orders probe against ex-CM Dharam Singh and HD Kumaraswamy – NewsX". NewsX. 29 March 2017. Archived from the original on 28 April 2018. Retrieved 27 April 2018.
  42. 42.0 42.1 "SC directs ex-K'taka CM Kumaraswamy, his wife to face trial in graft case". Deccanchronicle.com. 27 September 2016. Archived from the original on 24 May 2018. Retrieved 24 May 2018.
  43. Apurva VishwanathSharan Poovanna (28 September 2016). "Supreme Court orders H.D. Kumaraswamy to face trial in land case". Livemint. Archived from the original on 24 May 2018. Retrieved 24 May 2018.
  44. "'Kill them mercilessly': Karnataka CM Kumaraswamy instruction caught on video". The Indian Express. 25 December 2018. Retrieved 28 December 2018.
  45. "Kumaraswamy's 'kill mercilessly' order tosses up row, gets panned by BJP". Hindustan Times. 25 December 2018. Retrieved 28 December 2018.
  46. "Kumaraswamy releases CD on Mangaluru violence, blames cops and BJP govt". the week. 10 January 2020. Retrieved 15 January 2020.
  47. "CM Yediyurappa, HDK lock horns over Mangaluru CD". Deccan Herald. 12 January 2020. Retrieved 15 January 2020.
  48. "Bommai defends police action, asks HDK to submit evidence to investigators". The Hindu. 11 January 2020. Retrieved 15 January 2020.
  49. "Kumaraswamy is misleading inquiry with fake CD: Shobha Karandlaje". New Indian express. 11 January 2020. Retrieved 15 January 2020.
  50. "HD Kumaraswamy videos are 'cut and paste': BS Yediyurappa". The Times of India. 12 January 2020. Retrieved 15 January 2020.
  51. "Verbal duel between former Karnataka CM HD Kumaraswamy and Mandya MP Sumalatha Ambareesh continues". The Indian Express. 10 July 2021.
  52. "Verbal duel between former Karnataka CM HD Kumaraswamy and Mandya MP Sumalatha Ambareesh continues". The Indian Express. 10 July 2021.
  53. "Mandya MP Sumalatha Ambarish says her phone was being tapped during JDS-Congress tenure". The Indian Express. 10 July 2021.

External links[edit]

Lok Sabha
Preceded by
M. V. Chandrashekara Murthy
Member of Parliament
for Kanakapura

1996–1998
Succeeded by
M. Srinivas
Preceded by
Constituency Created
Member of Parliament
for Bangalore Rural

2009– 2013
Succeeded by
D. K. Suresh
Political offices
Preceded by
Dharam Singh
Chief Minister of Karnataka
3 February 2006 – 9 October 2007
Succeeded by
B. S. Yeddyurappa
Preceded by
B. S. Yeddyurappa
Chief Minister of Karnataka
23 May 2018 – 26 July 2019
Succeeded by
B. S. Yeddyurappa
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