statesman news service
Bangalore, 6 August
The Congress and the JDS are leaving nothing to chance to ensure that their candidates win the by-polls to the Parliamentary constituencies of Mandya and Bangalore Rural, scheduled for 21 August.
Till a few days ago, both the parties were finding it difficult to find candidates as no partyman wanted to contest now as there are only a few months left for the Lok Sabha to end its term.
It is only after much coaxing, cajoling and wooing that the Congress, on its part, has  managed to get film actress Ms Ramya and Mr D K Suresh, brother of former minister, Mr D K Shivkumar, to contest from Mandya and Bangalore Rural, respectively. They will be pitted against
Mr Puttaraju in Mandya and Ms Anita Kumaraswamy, wife of former chief minister Mr H Kumaraswamy of the JDS in Bangalore Rural. The Gowdas had a tough time particularly in convincing Ms Anita before she relented, even if  reluctantly.
The two seats which were won by the JDS  in the last election, fell vacant this time after the Mandya and Bangalore Rural MPs, Mr Cheluvarayaswami and Mr H D Kumarswamy, respectively, decided to give up these seats after they won in the just concluded Assembly elections.
The BJP finds itself in a very peculiar position considering that it has virtually no influence in the two LSconstituencies.
The latter will return the favour by not fielding any candidates against the BJP in the forthcoming elections to the three legislative council seats.
The fight for the two Lok Sabha seats, accordingly, will now intensify considering that it has become a prestigious one. Both the Congress under Chief Minister Siddaramiah, and the JDS under Mr Deve Gowda and his son are leaving no stone unturned.
For the Congress in particular, it is a very crucial battle what with the general elections barely a few months away.
If it manages to regain the seats from JDS, Mr Siddaramiah will have moved closer to the party higher ups in terms of the respect and confidence that he enjoys with them.
He wants to  ensure Ms Ramya manages to pip Mr Puttaraju to the post in Mandya, at least.
The fight, however, is more intense in Bangalore Rural where Mr D K Suresh, brother of former Congress minister, Mr D K Shivkumar, is pitted against Ms Anita Kumaraswamy.
Both the opponents hail from the Vokkaligga community and have tremendous clout with the voters.