Gowda family vs Shivakumar brothers: Battle for high-profile Bengaluru Rural LS seat turns bitter 

Bengaluru, April 4 (IANS) A high-profile battle is on for Karnataka’s high-profile Bengaluru Rural parliamentary constituency. Winning from the seat is a matter of prestige for former Prime Minister, HD Deve Gowda’s family and also for Deputy Chief Minister, DK Shivakumar’s kin. 

Deve Gowda’s son-in-law, Dr CN Manjunath is the BJP’s candidate and DK Suresh, the younger brother of Dy CM Shivakumar is the sitting MP and the Congress’ contestant from Bengaluru Rural.

DK Suresh who completed submission of his nomination papers on Thursday stated, “Union Home Minister, Amit Shah, held a road show in the parliamentary constituency for the BJP candidate. He does not know the pulse of Karnataka and he made statements without basis and went back. We know the pulse of the people and our victory is certain.”

Suresh said that he met Manjunath at the District Commissioner’s office and conveyed his wishes.

Manjunath held a road show after his nomination was filed.

Earlier, after spotting DK Suresh’s car at the Ramanagar District Commissioner’s office premises, BJP and JD(S) workers booed him and shouted “Modi, Modi” slogans, indicating fierce competition between the two parties in the coming days.

BJP MLA Munirathna from RR Nagar Assembly constituency in Bengaluru Rural alleged on Thursday that the Shivakumar brothers were resorting to highhandedness and arm twisting tactics.

“This is Bengaluru city and not Kanakapur where they run their fiefdom. I am capable of facing them,” Munirathna stated.

JD(S) leader, HD Kumaraswamy has vowed to end the dominance of Shivakumar brothers in the region by defeating them on their own turf.

BJP’s Munirathna alleged that the BJP and JD(S) workers were being threatened with police cases and warned to remain neutral.

He claimed that the BJP was going to win in Bengaluru Rural.

Former Dy CM, Dr CN Ashwathnarayan stated that the Bengaluru Rural seat had caught the attention of the nation and voting for Manjunath was like giving a vote to Prime Minister Modi, Deve Gowda and Kumaraswamy.

“The people are going to vote for the development of Bengaluru Rural Constituency. It is about the prestige and honour of the people not about individual prestige. Similar to how Prime Minister Modi had commanded the trust of people, Manjunath had also gained trust of the masses. He has won hearts of people cutting across the lines of religion and caste,” Ashwathnarayan stated.

Given that family prestige of both the candidates is at stake, the campaigning in Bengaluru Rural is all set for high drama in the days to come, say party workers.