VIJAYAWADA: Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu is likely to campaign for the JD (S) in Karnataka in the ongoing Parliamentary elections. Sources said Naidu would campaign in Mandya Lok Sabha segment from where Nikhil Kumaraswamy, son of Karnataka Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy, is contesting.
Nikhil is facing a tough fight from actor Sumalatha, the widow of noted film actor Ambareesh. Sumalatha is contesting as an independent from the seat and the BJP has extended its support to the actor.
Naidu has been working with various national and regional parties to form a non-BJP platform at the national level.
AAP chief and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and Trinamool Congress chief and West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee, JD(S) leader and former Karnataka chief minister Deve Gowda had campaigned for the TDP in the just-concluded AP elections. Deve Gowda also participated in road shows in Vijayawada in support of TDP candidates. It is learnt that the JD(S) leadership has extended invite to Naidu to campaign for its candidates in Karnataka. Naidu, who is camping in New Delhi for the past two days, is likely to campaign in Karnataka after he completes his Delhi tour.
Incidently, in several constituencies in Karnataka including Bengaluru city, Telugu people constitute a major chunk of the electorate. “To keep the friendly ties intact, Naidu would be campaigning in Karnataka for the JD(S),’’ a TDP leader said.