H. D. Kumaraswamy

Haradanahalli Devegowda Kumaraswamy, (born 16 December 1959) is an Indian politician, film producer and businessman who served as the 18th Chief Minister of Karnataka from 2018 to 2019 and previously from 2006 to 2007.

On 13 March 1986, Kumaraswamy married Anitha Kumaraswamy.

They have a son, Nikhil Gowda.

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.

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.

He was sworn in as chief minister on 28 May 2004.

Forty-two MLAs of Janata Dal (Secular) under Kumaraswamy's leadership left the coalition and the government collapsed.

Kumaraswamy married actress Radhika Kumaraswamy secretly in 2006.

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.

However, on 4 October 2007, he refused to transfer power to the BJP.

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.

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.

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

However, after the by-election results of Bangalore Rural Lok Sabha constituency and Mandya 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.

However, party cadres succeeded in convincing him not to quit as leader of opposition in the Karnataka Assembly.

In November 2010, Radhika revealed that she was married to him and that they have a daughter named Shamika.

He was also the leader of the opposition in the Karnataka Legislative Assembly from 2013 to 2014.

He is currently the president of the Karnataka State Janata Dal (Secular).

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

In November 2014 Kumaraswamy was elected as Karnataka state Janata Dal (Secular) President.

Kumaraswamy is also known for accusing political rivals of corruption.

He was a member of Lok Sabha and the current member of the Karnataka Legislative Assembly from Channapatna since 2018, Ramanagara from 2004 to 2009 and from 2013 to 2018.

He is the son of former prime minister of India & former Chief Minister of Karnataka H. D. Deve Gowda.

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

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.

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.

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.

Kumaraswamy took this contest as a prestige and campaigned all across the constituency.

In vain his son lost the election by a margin of 1,30,000 odd votes.

This was a major setback and abashment to Kumaraswamy in his political career.