JD(S) chief, former prime minister Deve Gowda will contest against BJP's GS Basavaraj.
Tumakuru: The candidate for Tumakuru was not announced until the last moment. JD(S) chief and former prime minister HD Deve Gowda faces BJP's GS Basavaraj in the constituency.
Former prime minister and JD(S) chief Deve Gowda is trailing in Tumakuru against BJP's GS Basavaraj. GS Basavaraj is leading with a margin of over 19,000 votes against Deve Gowda.
Deve Gowda's candidature was strongly opposed by Congress leader Muddahanumegowda, who was the sitting MP. In 2014, Muddahanumegowda had defeated the sitting BJP candidate GS Basavaraj by 74,041 votes.
The JD(S) and Congress coalition faced a major threat not only from the opposition party but from its own supporters.
Deve Gowda took time to decide if he would contest from Bengaluru North or Tumakuru as he had given up his Hassan seat for grandson Prajwal Revanna. Deve Gowda has won the election in Hassan in 2004, 2009 and 2014. He was also elected from Hassan in 1991 and 1998. He tasted defeat only once, in 1999.
Amidst allegations of favouritism and nepotism, Deve Gowda chose Tumakuru, which did not go down well by Muddahanumegowda. He filed two applications, one as a Congress member and one as independent despite the party supporting Deve Gowda's candidacy. On the last day of withdrawal of nomination, he was coaxed by the Congress and JD(S) and he withdrew his nomination.
Tumakuru Lok Sabha constituency consists of Chikkanayakanahalli, Tiptur, Turuvekere, Tumakuru city, Tumakuru Rural, Koratagere, Gubbi and Madhugiri Assembly seats.
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