Bypolls may mark generation shift in Bommai, Gowda clans

Bengaluru: Like father like son. This proverb is back in vogue in the November 13 bypolls as H D Kumaraswamy and Basavaraj Bommai –  two former chief ministers – will try to pass the baton to their sons.

While Nikhil Kumaraswamy and Bharath Bommai will be keen to register their maiden electoral victories, winnability seems to have overruled BJP’s argument against nepotism in candidate selection. 

While BJP veteran B S Yediyurappa, a 4-time CM, has postured his son B Y Vijayendra as his heir apparent, a strong performance will serve as a coming-of-age moment for the Shikaripura MLA.

Third attempt

Nikhil, 36, has suffered consecutive losses in the Mandya Lok Sabha (2019) and the Ramanagara Assembly (2023) polls. 

“Nikhil is young and more tender-hearted than me. He will be a part of your joys and sorrows and will resolve your problems,” Kumaraswamy told an election rally.

“I don’t know what my mistake was. Was it my misfortune to be born as a former PM’s grandson and a former CM’s son?,” an emotional Nikhil asked during his campaign.

Political analyst Venkatesh Thogarighatta feels the election is very crucial for Nikhil in the short term. 

“If he loses again, what seemed like a chance earlier might emerge as a pattern,” he said.

“A perception may emerge that he cannot win elections. In the long term, it may not be a huge issue as public memory is short-lived and he may be successful later.” 

Poll debut

Like Nikhil, Bharath Bommai is a third-generation politician from a family of two former CMs and is contesting the seat his father vacated. However, the similarities end there. 

An engineer-turned-entrepreneur, this is Bharath’s first step in politics. His father Basavaraj Bommai is a four-time MLA from Shiggaon. 

“In 2023, I went from door to door campaigning for my father. Now, I am going for myself. That’s the only difference. I will continue my father’s focus on development of the constituency,” said Bharath.   

Vijayendra’s journey as the BJP state president has been anything but smooth. His vocal critics like Basanagouda Patil Yatnal have attributed his rise to nepotism.

While the BJP registered a strong performance by winning 17 of the 25 seats it contested in the Lok Sabha polls in the state, Vijayendra cannot bask in its glory as it is a decline from the 25 it won in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. 

“To correct the perception that he hasn’t delivered, a strong performance is crucial. Winning all three will be ideal but even two will be seen as his victory. Anything less will lead to more pressure on him by intra-party critics,” Venkatesh said.