Modern politics is all about perception. After an early morning on his feet and in his track pants campaigning for the 2009 general elections, the BJP candidate for Bangalore South, H.N. Ananth Kumar, takes a breather and dives into a plate of middle-class idli-sambar at a middle-class darshini in middle-class Basavanagudi on Tuesday.
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Each election season sees fiction writers back with a bang.
In an affidavit filed along with his nomination papers, the three-time minister and four-time MP claims his wife Tejaswini is six times wealthier than him with their delightful daughters Aishwarya and Vijetha possessing property worth Rs 6.04 lakh and Rs 7.6 lakh.
Out of office these five years, the family’s income has doubled from Rs 75 lakh to Rs 1.42 crore. The Kumars own a Reva car, a Kinetic Honda and a Hyundai Accent.
Photograph: Karnataka Photo News
Tags: 2009 Elections, Ananth Kunmar, Basavanagudi, Churumuri, General Elections 2009, H.N. Ananth Kumar, Karnataka Photo News, KPN, Photography, Sans Serif
31 March 2009 at 7:16 pm
It is good to see young, honest, dynamic Krishna Byre Gowda fighting against Narasimha Raju of K’taka politics.
31 March 2009 at 7:40 pm
“Oh..! What a sight..!”
“What is there to exclaim! After all he belongs to the party which proclaims itself different”
“Don’t be silly! It is not different. It is same as any other party.”
“How could say you like that?”
“Don’t you remember the NDA rule. It was notorious for the scams and scandels. They swindled money in Petrol pump stations. The Hindu described the list of beneficiaries as ‘laundry list of Sangh parivar’. They even licked money in coffins!! Oh! terrible”
“Scams and scandels are part and parcel of Indian politics. Tell me some other reason”
“Take this from me. They too have groups and factions within the party. This gentleman sitting with spicy sambar and hot idlis in his hands too heads a faction. How could you forget the sulking face of Arun Jaitley, yaar?”
“Groupism is everywhere. Why don’t you say something different?”
“They succumbed to the RSS high command and refrained themselves and didn’t make Jaswant Singhji as their FM”
“Leave it. Appreciate the gesture of Anatakumarji. He is so humble. He is so middle class. He is so down to the earth.”
“Yes. you are right.”
31 March 2009 at 8:56 pm
whoever wears track pants with leather quo-vadis?
31 March 2009 at 10:36 pm
1.42 Crore assets for a 4 time MP from one of the wealthiest constituencies is really peanuts…and its family assets including his wife who is a professional..
had read abt his declaration in the DH and was wondering why the media doesnt highlight MPs/candidates with frugal lifestyles..it always makes headlines when multiple crores are declared – praful patel,adikeshavalu,krishnappa,the usual suspects..India Today recently dedicated an entire cover story on these super-wealthy politicians..
when will we see a cover story on frugal politicians…its really admirable that one can resist the temptation of making truck loads of easy money in public office esp when buying votes and favors have become commonplace..
was happy(and sceptical) to see churumuri talk of HNAKs paltry assets..until ofcourse it was also menioned that it had ‘doubled’ in ’5 years’..i guess real estate itself has more than doubled in the last 5 years(to put things into perspective)…
31 March 2009 at 10:43 pm
I read that article about Ananthu’s worth. He seemed like an altruist amongst avarices!
I’m starting to believe that it is not so much in the BJP blood to crave for money! At least not in par with Congress. I really don’t see money when names such as AB, LK, Modi etc, but Sonia seems otherwise! Though, names such as Pranab Mukherjee, Chidambaram etc from the Cong, doesn’t throw up pictures of cash, I think intrinsically there are two kinds of intelligent people!
Lets call them Brahmins for now. Look at all these Brahmins, they came to where they are today by virtue of their headstart (say education, exposure and whatever?). But still the Cong Brahmins somehow I think are westerly thinking stalwarts who sold whatever India offered for a song they had never heard before. They would ape the west with all their zest.
BJP Brahmins, on the other hand, are oriental in thought and are more suited to sell the same thing India offers, but all the while singing a song called Vande Mataram, so to speak.
I mean they somehow should try deftly to carry the country and its culture as if like the hand that carries its rubber glove. When corporations talk about their culture, i believe countries should talk about its culture too. It’s the culture that resuscitate countries in its deepest times of disturbance!
(I would beg to differ Indian culture is completely hinduism, yet it is predominantly. And that is intra problems for me, when I address the international one like choosing a party to rule my country. Any qualms about BJP’s Hindu-identity is talks to save for a later date, on a intra-issue session windows of churumuri)
Going back to culture talks, like said, India has its culture and we need to do our nation’s business in a way that doesn’t hamper our culture. BJP i believe in a strategic point to address that cultural problem as well as deal with the world like Congress did–in every sense of the word capitalist.
It is in fact an arduous task to carry the country and its culture together, having been conditioned to the congress way of doing things. With its secular stance Congress has created more divisions of religion, caste and culture, than what BJP could create with it Hindu stance. But Hindu has become a more potent tool of mass peace destruction and almost become an antonym of the word secular! Again congress has marketed Hinduism in such a negative way without understanding that it has only invited the rest of the world (dominated by muslim and christians) to censure more.
BJP should now think best and act fast to carry country along with its culture towards progress. Their inexperience, impulsiveness and quest for imitation could take them in the congress route, avoiding that is avoiding the road to perdition.
Not avoiding is to prove to the country that Brahmins are not those intellectuals what we all thought to be! May be shudras and their third front needs to be saluted!
31 March 2009 at 10:58 pm
Krishna byre gowda is comming. swalpa dari bidi anath kumarravare.
1 April 2009 at 9:27 am
Krishna Byregowda!? matte Bytarayanapura da gati?
bari multiple constituencies alla multiple posts ge election fight maaDadu nilisbEku. How many more crores for that MLA election?
Young, honest, relatively more educated yella sari. What’s his track record in Legislative Assembly till now?
1 April 2009 at 11:27 am
It will need more than a Krishna Byre Gowda to move the sitting (and idli eating) MP! I mean, is the Congress not serious of putting up a fight? How do they hope that an outsider will win where other stalwarts have lost?
And it is an open secret that the Captain is a put-up job to make things easier! Otherwise why does he not contest from Bengaluru Central, where he lives, or Hassan where he had contsested earlier for an MLA?
This talk about wanting to make a presence/difference is just a pubilcity seeking gimmick, which our intellectually challenged English print and Electronic media have fallen for – hook, line & sinker
1 April 2009 at 11:30 am
The ‘middle class’ darshini seems to be Brahmins coffee bar in rangarao road, Basavanagudi.
2 April 2009 at 9:21 am
We have seen him raising his voice more in local BJP meetings and press meets than in the Parliment. He somehow slips in and makes it a point to be in the photograph of any inauguration. We need leaders who say “let’s do it” than “I did it” for every little thing that happens around.
The challenges Bangalore is facing today needs leaders who can Mobilize, Motivate and Metamorphosize. It’s time we had some who can bring in new ideas that solve today’s problems with tomorrows solutions.
It’s time for Change !!!
2 April 2009 at 9:29 am
It also reflects the scanty number of developmental projects that he fought for, got sanctioned or implemented. He is always busy with party work than progress.
2 April 2009 at 10:46 pm
Dumb Fellow.. :-(
Just doubled 75 lacs in 5 years. We don’t deserve such folks to rule us.
Look at YSR in AP. He multiplied his family’s wealth by 10000 times in 5 years! That’s brains I say!!
4 April 2009 at 5:11 pm
All drama…useless fellow, has done nothing that has helped people in B-South….
4 April 2009 at 11:36 pm
I tend to agree with Arun. I haven’t seen progress in Bangalore South for a long long time. It’s time to move, HNAK….
Krishna Byregowda…. padhaariye… neevu enu kiseetheero nodonananthe….
12 April 2009 at 7:06 pm
For a long time now BJP has waved (without any earnest) the saffron flag to swing votes in its favor. This election will be one of reckoning – BJP will pay the price of not having an earnest agenda, not having implemented any of its promises(thanks to Yedi’s dismal performance) & not even having leaders of stature. Can you imagine Ananth Kumar running a ministry for the country !!
On the contrary, leaders like Krishna Byre Gowda have a vision backed by performance, a stature backed by experience & education and above all, a perspective backed by a solid value system.
People are tired of the caste-games played by politicians & will vote for substance. Thats why I urge everyone to vote for Krishna Byregowda….its time for change and that time is NOW.
17 April 2009 at 10:38 am
I brought Metro.
I brought Bangalore International Airport.
I brought Yeshwanthpur Railway station
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…
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Did you also say that you got the Idli Batter & Sambar Powder sanctioned in Parliment
22 April 2009 at 9:53 pm
All the HUDCO scam money might be in Swizterland. Advani wants to brings some of Ananth’s money back.