The BJP contestant may also become the second most important person in the party after former chief minister Yedurappa if he wins. For former chief minister and BJP’s chief ministerial candidate Yedurappa, winning the Shikaripura assembly seat will be a matter of prestige. A techie who left his comfortable job in a US-firm, Puttanaiah is seen to have given Karnataka’s farm movements a restart. Madhu Bangarappa, who is contesting on a JD(S) ticket will be facing-off against his brother Kumar Bangarappa (BJP) from the BJP. In these keenly contested seats, contestants like Sriramulu, G. T. Deve Gowda and Darshan Puttnaiah stand to become giant-killers if they can pull-off a win.

Source: Mint May 15, 2018 03:22 UTC