The Bengaluru Rural constituency is likely to witness a high-voltage contest in the upcoming Lok Sabha polls as Deputy Karnataka Chief Minister DK Shivakumar and family members of former Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda have taken it as a matter of prestige to ensure victory for their respective sides.
The seat is considered as a fortress of the Shivakumar family. Shivakumar's brother, DK Suresh, has represented the seat since 2013. Former Karnataka CM HD Kumaraswamy registered victory in the seat in the 2009 general elections. After his resignation, DK Suresh grabbed it from the Janata Dal-Secular (JD-S) in 2013 by-polls by defeating HD Kumaraswamy's wife, Anita Kumaraswamy. In 2014, and also in 2019, Suresh registered thumping victories.
Now, with the BJP and the JD-S deciding to field Dr CN Manjunath, son-in-law of former PM Deve Gowda, as NDA candidate from the BJP, the seat is all set to witness an intense contest.
DK Suresh on Thursday, March 14 told JD-S workers that they should take a call now as Deve Gowda's son-in-law himself is not contesting for the JD-S but as a BJP candidate. "Son-in-law has decided that JD-S led by Deve Gowda and his son, former CM HD 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.
Meanwhile, Congress' Karnataka unit president DK Shivakumar on Thursday said that he respects CN Manjunath. "Politics is different. It is shocking to see a family member of Deve Gowda contesting on a BJP ticket," he said.
Former CM HD Kumaraswamy, reacting to statements of DK Suresh, said the services of CN Manjunath have been appreciated at the national level. "But, this person (Suresh) has been bad-mouthing about him. He is nothing when compared to Manjunath," he stated.
"I am pained to see the comments made against him. There is no question of tolerating if comments are made against Manjunath," Kumaraswamy added.