JD(S) Withdraws Candidate for Jayanagar Seat, Will Support Cong

The party will support Congress candidate Sowmya Reddy.

Rahul Gandhi clasps hands with new Karnataka Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy.

(Photo Courtesy: Twitter/@INCIndia)

The Janata Dal (S), on 5 June, pulled out its candidate from the Jayanagar Assembly constituency in Bengaluru for the 11 June polls and extended the party's support to its ruling coalition partner, the Congress.

JD(S) supremo and former prime minister HD Deve Gowda announced that his party candidate Kalegowda was "retiring" from the contest.

JD(S) would support the Congress’ Sowmya Reddy, Gowda said, and asked party men and leaders to work for her.

Gowda's announcement in a press release followed a meeting with him by senior Congress leader and former minister Ramalinga Reddy, who is Sowmya Reddy's father.

The Karnataka Assembly election was held on 12 May but the Jayanagar poll was countermanded following the death of BJP candidate BN Vijayakumar, who was holding the seat.

BJP has named BN Prahlad, brother of Vijaykumar, as its candidate.

Both the Congress and the JD(S) had fielded candidates against each other, despite being coalition partners, in the recent election to the Rajarajeshwari Nagar Assembly seat in the city.

Congress candidate Munirathna had won the seat, relegating the JD(S) candidate to a distant third.