With 2 JD(S) leaders joining Cong, Shivakumar springs a surprise

NT Correspondent

Bengaluru: Karnataka Congress chief D.K. Shivakumar, who is facing a stiff fight from the BJP in his Kanakapura seat, has managed to get Narayana Gowda, a senior leader from JD(S) to join the party.

Gowda had contested against Shivakumar in the 2018 elections and had got 47,643 votes. The BJP has fielded R. Ashoka, who is the Minister for Revenue and the Vokkaliga face of the party. The JD(S) has fielded B.R. Ramachandra this time. Shivakumar, who is aspiring to become the CM candidate, if Congress is voted to power, wants to win with a thumping margin in the elections.

However, the fight is tough as Ashoka is fully backed by the BJP and the JD(S) candidate has a traditional vote bank here. Shivakumar had won with a margin of 79,909 votes in the 2018 Assembly elections in Kanakapura and got 69 per cent of votes. The BJP’s Nandini Gowda managed to get only 6,273 votes and had lost the deposit.