Mysuru: They are contesting from different parties and different constituencies. But Congress candidates from Nanjangud and BJP nominee from Gundlupet have one thing in common — having lost the elections in their last two attempts, they are now banking on the bypolls to enter the assembly.Unlike in 2013 assembly polls, the duo has switched sides to other parties now. While Kalale Keshavmurthy had sought to make the cut contesting from JD(S), he was not successful. Now in Congress and with the state government on his side, he is trying to trounce BJP's Srinivas Prasad, who had defeated him on two previous occasions.At Gundlupet, BJP nominee C S Niranjan Kumar tried his luck from KJP last time. But he was defeated by late former minister H S Mahadeva Prasad. In 2008, he had contested on a BJP ticket.Both have lost the two previous assembly polls with a narrow margin following division of votes due to KJP of former chief minister B S Yeddyurappa.After Srinivas Prasad quit from the assembly in late October, Keshavmurthy sensed an opportunity to make it to the assembly. Though his hopes were dashed as JD(S) decided to opt of the race, he was poached by CM Siddaramaiah-led Congress to take on Prasad after four surveys commissioned by the chief minister indicated that Keshavmurthy will be a better bet to take on the former minister.Sympathy factorKeshavmurthy, who is related to Congress MP R Dhruvanarayana, is employing the sympathy factor to garner support given that he has been defeated twice. In 2008 when he first contested, he stood third. He bettered the results in 2013 polls by coming close to defeating Prasad. This has given him vigour to take on his political opponent in the bypolls.While Congress leaders, including the chief minister, the MP and district minister H C Mahadevappa are asserting that the government's achievements will see Keshavmurthy through, the candidate himself is trying to garner sympathy votes.As he joined the campaign with the minister and the MP on Tuesday, Keshavmurthy told them to give him a chance to serve him. Congress leaders visited Mahadevapura, Handuvinahalli and Debur. Mahadevappa said that the BJP candidate has always been rejected by Nanjangud voters. "He has not won, and will never do," he declared.In Gundlupet, former chief minister Yeddyurappa has been trying to garner support for the party candidate, referring to his back-to-back losses. "He is young, and has a vision. People should prefer him this time," he has said during his election rallies.Kumar had lost to late former minister H S Mahadeva Prasad in 2008 and 2013 assembly polls. While Mahadeva Prasad was the Congress candidate, Kumar was BJP's candidate in 2008 and KJP's in 2013.

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