The upcoming Lok Sabha election in Mandya, Karnataka, is shaping up as a contest between H D Kumaraswamy, former Chief Minister representing JD(S), and Congress Venkataramane Gowda. It s framed as a battle between an "outsider" and a "local" by Congress. Mandya, a Vokkaliga stronghold, is pivotal for both parties.
She had earlier met the party's top brass including Prime Minister Narendra Modi and national President J P Nadda. "The High Command (BJP) has to say, they have to make a decision. My decision, not to leave Mandya, is always strong," she has said.
Mandya is known for its rivalry between Congress and JD(S) for supremacy. The BJP too over the years has been putting in efforts to make inroads here. | Bengaluru News