A tough battle appears to be on the cards for JDS patriarch H D Deve Gowda in Tumakuru Lok Sabha constituency as he is contesting from a Congress bastion amid disquiet in both his party and ally Congress over allocation of seats and tickets, say analysts.
They, however, do acknowledge the former prime minister's potential to bounce back as he did by winning the Kanakapura byelection in 2002 after he had lost to G Puttaswamy Gowda of Congress in 1999 from Hassan.
Though Tumakuru was allotted to JDS under the electoral arrangement between allies Congress and JD(S), sitting Congress MP S P Muddahanume Gowda has filed his papers from the seat, making it clear that Deve Gowda may not have an easy going.
It remains to be seen if Muddahanume Gowda remains in the contest but on Monday he appeared firm on giving a fight. "I'm filing my nomination as the Congress candidate. I'm not filing the nomination for fun," he said
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