Ramanath Rai's close associate injured in attack in Bantwal

A close associate of Congress leader Ramanath Rai and four others were injured in an alleged attack by unknown miscreants in Bantwal on Thursday. Ramanath Rai's associate Kachigudda Sanjeev Kumar and his wife and three others were injured.

Two cars were also damaged in the attack. Reason for the attack is not yet known.

Ramanath Rai is contesting from Bantwal assembly constituency. Rai is Minister in-charge of Dakshina Kannada and has been a six-time legislator from the constituency and is contesting the polls for the eighth time. In 2013, he comfortably defeated BJP's Rajesh Naik Ulipady by over 17,500 votes. The closest fight that Rai's workers remember was put up by BJP's B Nagaraj Shetty in 2008 - when the victory margin of Rai was reduced to a mere 1,251 votes.