BJP’s Dr CN Manjunath Leading By Over 2 Lakhs Votes Against DK Suresh In Bangalore Rural Constituency

As the counting of votes begins, BJP candidate Dr. CN Manjunath, a renowned cardiologist, is currently leading from the Bengaluru Rural constituency against incumbent MP DK Suresh, brother of the influential Deputy CM and state party chief DK Shivakumar. Voting in the constituency took place on April 26, and post-poll surveys predicted a favorable outcome for the BJP, fueling excitement and anticipation among BJP and JDS leaders, including candidate Manjunath.

The Bengaluru Rural Lok Sabha constituency comprises eight assembly segments: Kunigal, Rajarajeshwarinagar, Bengaluru South, Anekal, Magadi, Ramanagara, Kanakapura, and Channapatna. Of these segments, Congress holds five, including Shivakumar's constituency Kanakapura, while BJP holds two, and JDS one (former CM HD Kumaraswamy in Channapatna).

The political landscape is abuzz with speculation about whether Dr. CN Manjunath, also the son-in-law of former Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda, will secure a victory over DK Suresh, potentially handing him his first electoral defeat.

In the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, when Narendra Modi's wave swept the nation, DK Suresh was the sole Congress candidate to emerge victorious in Karnataka. Suresh, the younger sibling of Shivakumar, won in the 2013 Lok Sabha by-poll and the 2014 polls, defeating senior BJP leader Ashwath Narayan by a margin of more than 2 lakh votes.

However, this time, the contest is neck and neck. Shivakumar and his family members have been actively campaigning, even visiting apartment complexes to seek votes for Suresh. For Shivakumar, Suresh's victory is crucial as he harbors ambitions for the Chief Minister's post. CM Siddaramaiah himself has campaigned for Suresh multiple times, recognizing the intensity of the battle. Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge has also thrown his weight behind the campaign.

The Bengaluru Rural Lok Sabha constituency is considered a stronghold of Vokkaligas and the JDS. Both Suresh and Manjunath are from the same Vokkaliga community. Manjunath, with personal connections mostly through his patients and their families across the state, is being fielded by the BJP to wrest the constituency from the DK brothers.

Manjunath served as the head of the state-owned Sri Jayadeva Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences and Research for 18 years before retiring in January. Contesting for the first time, Manjunath took time out to speak to Moneycontrol during his hectic campaign schedule.