Bengaluru, Sept 4: Kusuma Ravi, wife of deceased IAS officer D K Ravi whose suicide had sparked a controversy, joined the Karnataka Congress on Sunday. Kusuma Ravi is reportedly being considered as the Congress’ candidate for the Rajarajeshwari Nagar bye-elections.
Kusuma joined the party in the presence of the DK Shivakumar, president of KPCC, at an event held in the party office in Bengaluru.
His death has resulted in bandhs in Kolar and several parts of the state, where the then ruling Congress government was accused of “trying to protect” it partymen, who were allegedly harassing Ravi.
After much outrage, the then Chief Minister Siddaramaiah had ordered a CBI probe into the matter. In November 2016, the CBI had in its closure report, noted that DK Ravi had ended his own life.
Shivakumar told media persons that the party is seriously considering Kusuma as a candidate as she is educated, and also someone the party views as a candidate who can connect to the “younger crowd”.
“Kusuma Ravi is educated. As a candidate, there are various challenges she will face but the party is of the consensus that she is a suitable candidate. We have suggested her name to the high command and they will decide,” DK Shivakumar added.
DK Shivakumar said that the party wants to field a woman candidate as she would be able gather the support of the women voters in the constituency.
“There is a generation gap among voters these days. We are looking to field young and educated candidates. The BJP has its own caste calculations and we do too. Besides, Kusuma comes from a political family. Her father wanted the ticket but we had denied him the ticket,” Shivakumar added.
Kusuma’s father is a former council member from the RR Nagar zone and also the former Chairman of the Mysuru Planning Committee. “She also is a Vokkaliga and considering that DK Shivakumar and his brother are from the Vokkaliga community, they want to capitalise on those votes in RR Nagar as the BJP would not field a Vokkaliga candidate,” a senior Congress leader said.
Kusuma’s husband had allegedly died by suicide at his residence in Koramangala in 2015. His death has resulted in bandhs in Kolar and several parts of the state, where the then ruling Congress government was accused of “trying to protect” it partymen, who were allegedly harassing Ravi.
After much outrage, the then Chief Minister Siddaramaiah had ordered a CBI probe into the matter. In November 2016, the CBI had in its closure report, noted that DK Ravi had ended his own life.
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