'Mr cultured politician' Prakash sports new colours

Tue, May 13 01:27 PM

Former Karnataka Deputy Chief Minsiter, M P Prakash, the man who set political parties on a race to lure him ahead of the current assembly polls in the state has an uphill task to prove his own popularity on a new symbol and a new turf.

Prakash, who has earned the sobriquet of "Mr cultured politician" and a respected leader from the dominant lingayat community, shocked every one in political circles, raising a banner of revolt against the "dictatorial attitude" of JDS chief and former Prime Minister H D Devegowda and walked out of that party along with his supporters.

Probably not only Devegowda, even his political adversaries would not have dreamt that the soft-spoken Prakash, would dare to revolt.

Seizing this opportunity and to get Prakash, an orator and a seasoned parliamentarian to their side, BJP, Congress and BSP made a bee-line to the leader's residence and it was the Congress which clinched the day.

Prakash's exit from JDS along with a dozen legislators dealt a severe blow to Gowda's party, particularly in North-Karnataka region.

For 66-year-old Prakash, who has carved a name for himself in cultural field, than in politics now has put his political charisma to test from Davanagere, a neighbouring district of Bellary, his home turf hitherto.

Prakash's turbulent political innings began as he fell out from Gowda's family after his party JDS refused to handover chief ministership to BJP's B S Yeddyurappa, who also incidentally hail from Lingayat community.

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