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.
