Malavika, Doddarange Gowda in race for KDA chief post

Doddarange Gowda. Credit: Special Arrangement

Hectic lobbying is on for the Kannada Development Authority (KDA) chairperson’s post, which fell vacant after filmmaker T S Nagabharana’s term ended last week.

According to sources, actor-turned-BJP leader Malavika Avinash and poet-writer Doddarange Gowda are front-runners for the post.

“As this is a post equivalent to Cabinet rank, aspirants will always be more,” sources said.

Also, Nagabharana is trying for a second term, citing the Kannada Language Comprehensive Development Bill introduced in the Assembly.

The government issued a notification on October 17, appointing Kannada and Culture Minister V Sunil Kumar as KDA chairperson, till a new person is appointed.

Before 1990, KDA was called Kannada Kavalu Samiti. Past chairpersons include Chandrashekar Patil, Baraguru Ramachandrappa, Patil Puttappa, H Narasimhaiah and G Narayana.