Bengaluru, Mar 26 (PTI) The BJP on Tuesday named former minister Narasimha Naik, also known as Raju Gowda, as its candidate for the Shorapur assembly bypoll, which is to be held on May 7.
The seat fell vacant due to the death of Congress MLA Raja Venkatappa Naik last month, and his son Raja Venugopal Naik has been named as the Congress candidate for the bypoll.
Narasimha Naik was defeated by Raja Venkatappa Naik in the assembly polls held last year.
The Shorapur assembly segment (ST reserved) had seen electoral battles between the late Raja Venkatappa Naik and Narasimha Naik five times between 2004 and 2023, out of which the former won twice, 2013 and 2023, while the latter won thrice, 2004, 2008 and 2018.
In this bypoll, Narasimha Naik will be facing the son of his late political rival.
Narasimha Naik, once a close confidant of Raja Venkatappa Naik, had contested the zilla panchayat elections from Kodekal at the age of 21 and won.
Later, he parted ways with his political mentor and contested the assembly elections in 2004 on a Kannada Nadu Party ticket against Raja Venkatappa Naik, and emerged victorious at the age of 25.
He later joined the BJP and subsequently went on to serve as Small Scale Industries Minister in its government. PTI KSU ANE
