With over a hundred guests in participation for the wedding of actor-politician Nikhil Kumaraswamy, son of former Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy, social distancing seems to have been given a go by. The photographs released by the family of the wedding that took place near Bidadi suggests that social distancing had not been maintained as promised earlier.
Mr. Nikhil, who lost his election debut from Mandya Lok Sabha parliamentary constituency in 2019 May on the Janata Dal (Secular) ticket, married Revathi, the grand niece of Congress leader and former Minister M. Krishnappa, at the family's farm house near Bidadi. Among those who witnessed the wedding rituals included the bridegroom's grandfather and former Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda.
The venue of the wedding was changed to Bidadi farmhouse after the family felt that social distancing could not be maintained at Mr. Kumaraswamy's residence in Bengaluru.
Initially, the family had zeroed in on a place between Ramanagar and Chennapatna where it had intended to invite all the voters of Chennapatna and Ramanagar assembly constituencies represented by him and his wife Anitha respectively. However, the COVID-19 pandemic spoilt their plans and the family finally settled to the farm house near Bidadi.
Earlier in the week, Mr. Kumaraswamy while appealing to his fans and party workers, had said that the family had taken permission from the chief secretary to perform the wedding, and to maintain social distance, the function had been kept low profile. He had counted at least 60 persons as his first family that included his parents, siblings and their family members, and had expected similar number from the bride's side.
According to a party functionary, the farm house had been barricaded with restricted entry, and no one except the family members were allowed to get into the road leading to the farm house. Though a sizeable crowd was expected, party workers did not turn up at the venue, sources said.
