The Bengaluru Rural constituency is gearing up for a fiercely contested showdown in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections with family members of Deputy Karnataka Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar and former Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda poised for a clash of titans in what is being viewed as a matter of prestige for both sides.
Regarded as a stronghold of Shivakumar family, the constituency has been represented by Shivakumar's brother, D.K. Suresh, since 2013. Earlier in 2009, former Karnataka CM H.D. Kumaraswamy secured victory in the general elections.
Following Kumaraswamy's resignation, D.K. Suresh wrested control from the Janata Dal-Secular (JD(S)) in a fiercely contested 2013 by-poll, defeating Kumaraswamy's wife, Anita Kumaraswamy. Suresh's subsequent triumphs in 2014 and 2019 solidified his position in the constituency.
Now, with BJP and the JD(S) joining forces to field Dr. C.N. Manjunath, the son-in-law of former PM Deve Gowda, as the NDA candidate, the battleground is set for a heated electoral showdown.
To JD(S) workers, D.K. Suresh highlighted the significance of the contest, emphasising that Deve Gowda's son-in-law had opted to run for the BJP rather than the JD(S), urging party members to consider the implications of this decision.
"Son-in-law has decided that JD-S led by Deve Gowda and his son, former CM H.D. Kumaraswamy is not good. JD-S workers will have to think on these lines. The intelligent son-in-law has chosen to contest for a different party. Their party workers will decide on the rest," Suresh said, as per a report on IANS.
Meanwhile, Karnataka Congress president D.K. Shivakumar extended his respect to C.N. Manjunath. "Politics is different. It is shocking to see a family member of Deve Gowda contesting on a BJP ticket," he said, as per the report.