JD-S withdraws candidate from Bengaluru assembly seat

Karnataka's ruling Janata Dal-Secular (JD-S) on Tuesday withdrew its candidate from the June 11 assembly election in Bengaluru's Jayanagar assembly constituency in favour of its coalition ally Congress' contestant, a party official on Tuesday.

"On the directive of party supremo H.D. Deve Gowda, Kalegowda has withdrawn from the contest in support of the Congress and to prevent division of secular votes," the official told IANS.

Sowmya Reddy is the daughter of veteran Congress leader and former Home Minister Ramalinga Reddy, who was re-elected from the BTM Layout segment in the city south in the May 12 assembly election.

The election to the Jayanagar seat was postponed following the death of BJP candidate B.N. Vijaya Kumar on May 4 and re-scheduled to June 11. Vote count is on June 13.

The BJP, which emerged as the single largest party in the 225-member hung assembly, on May 22 nominated B.N. Prahlad, younger brother of Kumar, as its candidate to retain the prestigious seat.

In all, 19 candidates, including nine Independents are in the fray. The other woman candidate in the contest is Nayeema Khanum of the Praja Raita Raajya Paksha.

--IANS

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