Summary:
Shimoga has been a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) stronghold since 2004, and the right-wing party has again fielded its sitting MP B.Y. Only the poll verdict on May 23 will tell if Shimoga remains with the BJP or it will move to the ruling ally. Photo: ANIShimoga: In the battle for supremacy in Karnataka’s Malnad region, sons of two former Chief Ministers will lock horns for the prestigious Shimoga Lok Sabha seat in the third phase of polling on April 23. Interestingly, Kumar Bangarappa, the elder brother of Madhu, is a BJP legislator from their home turf of Sorab Assembly segment in the Shimoga parliamentary constituency. Many feel the coming together of the Congress and the JD-S will lead to the consolidation of secular, backward and minority votes against the BJP..