JDS gives up Bengaluru North, Congress tries to coax Tumakuru rebel to contest from constituency
The JD(S) has returned the Bengaluru North Lok Sabha seat to the Congress. The Congress has been trying to field Tumakuru rebel Muddahanumegowda from the constituency
FollowBengaluru: Out of eight seats, the JD(S) has returned the Bengaluru North Lok Sabha seat to the Congress.
Congress has claimed that this move is a goodwill gesture from the JD(S). However, the fact remains that the JD(S) does not have a strong candidate to field against BJP’s Sadanada Gowda.
KC Venugopal Tweet
"INC India is thankful to Shri HD Deve Gowda ji and the JD(S) for their kind gesture of giving back the Bengaluru North Lok Sabha seat to the Congress. Together let us reclaim democracy," stated the Tweet made by AICC General Secretary and in-charge of Karnataka, KC Venugopal.
Congress wanted the Tumakuru seat and had been trying to coax Deve Gowda to contest from Bengaluru North. However, the JD(S) chief chose Tumakuru, leaving the Congress MP red-faced.
Congress too does not have a strong presence Bengaluru North. In 2014, the Congress had fielded Narayana Swamy from Bengaluru North against BJP leader Sadananda Gowda. The BJP leader won the election with a margin of more than 2,29,000 votes.
However, the Congress was sure of winning the Tumakuru seat. Now with the Tumakuru seat out of the picture, the Congress is not left with much of an option than to convince the disgruntled Muddahanumegowda to contest from Bengaluru North.
Both Sadananda Gowda and Muddahanumegowda belong to the Vokkaliga community and Bengaluru North is a Vokkaliga belt.
If the Congress is not successful in convincing Muddahanumegowda, minister for rural development Krisha Byre Gowda, JC Shankara and BL Shankar also have their eyes on the Bengaluru North seat.
But Sadananda Gowda, who is sure of winning the seat has said that the JD(S) considers only their family as Vokkaliga and no one else and is the reason why they do not have any strong candidate to field. “Election should be fought between two strong candidates,” he said.
