Udupi: With Congress leaders reportedly giving their nod, former Congress minister Pramod Madhwaraj is all set to contest as the JD(S) candidate from Udupi-Chikkamagalur parliamentary constituency.
As per the seat sharing agreement, the JD(S)-Congress coalition had decided to field a JD(S) candidate from Udupi-Chikkamagalur Though several names had made the rounds earlier, the JD(S) could not find a strong enough candidate to take on the BJP’s Shobha Karandlaje and now, it may ‘borrow’ Pramod Madhwaraj from the Congress. However the process of declaring him as the candidate has been delayed as there is opposition from some Congress leaders.
“JD(S) supremo H.D. Deve Gowda and Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy have already held a meeting with Pramod and given their nod to field him as the JD(S) candidate from Udupi-Chikkamgalur. Senior Congress leader Oscar Fernandes had opposed the proposal to make Pramod contest as a JD(S) candidate. Now he too has agreed. With this Pramod is all set to contest as the JD(S) nominee,” sources old Deccan Chronicle, adding, “shortly the party will make a formal announcement. He is expected to file his nomination next week.”
When contacted, Mr Madhwaraj said he is ready to contest as a consensus candidate of the JD(S) and Congress and added that he is yet to receive the ‘B’ Form from the JD(S)).
Leaders of the JD(S) feel Pramod’s entry into the fray could help the party as he is from the fishermen community and enjoys good support in the region. They hope that he will be abel to capitalise on the anti-Shobha Karandlaje ‘wave’ in the constituency.
