Karnataka bypolls: Congress finalises Kusuma as RR Nagar candidate

The Congress on Wednesday named former Minister TB Jayachandra and Kusuma, the wife of late IAS officer DK Ravi, as its candidates Shira and RR Nagar bypolls.

Bengaluru: The Congress on Wednesday named former Minister TB Jayachandra and Kusuma, the wife of late IAS officer DK Ravi, as its candidates for the November 3 bypolls in Shira and Rajarajeshwari Nagar assembly segments.

Kusuma, who holds an MS degree in Information Technology from the University of Massachusetts, Boston, is currently an assistant professor of computer science engineering at Dayananda Sagar College of Engineering.

The byelection in Shira was necessitated following the death of JD(S) legislator B Sathyanarayana in August, while the Rajarajeshwari Nagar seat fell vacant after the disqualification of Congress MLA N Munirathna under the anti-defection law last year.

Jayachandra had represented Shira in Tumakuru district in 2008 and 2013 by defeating Sathyanarayana, who in turn had emerged victorious against him in the 2018 polls.

The BJP is yet to announce its nominee and the party’s state unit has sent its recommendations to the high command.

Speculations are rife in the JP Nadda-led party circles that radiologist Dr CM Rajesh Gowda, the son of former Congress MP CP Mudalagiriyappa, who had recently joined the BJP along with several local political workers and leaders, is likely to be named as the candidate.

Congress and JD(S) are traditional rivals for the Shira seat, which the BJP has never won. If BJP fields a strong candidate, the Shira bypoll is likely to see a three-cornered contest.