This story is from November 19, 2019

JD(S) replaces its candidate for Chikkaballapur

In a last minute decision, the JD(S) has replaced its candidate for Chikkaballpuar K P Bachhegowda with political greenhorn N Radhakrishna.
JD(S) replaces its candidate for Chikkaballapur
BENGALURU: In a last minute decision, the JD(S) has replaced its candidate for Chikkaballpuar K P Bachhegowda with political greenhorn N Radhakrishna.
The election commission, which took up the scrutiny of nominations on Tuesday, rejected the nominations of as many as 54 candidates including that of Bachhegowda across the 15 assembly segments which will go for polls on December 5.

The JDS f formally announced Radhakrishna as their official candidate after Bachegowda papers were rejected by the returning officer for technical reasons.
Speaking to reporters, Bachhegowda, who represented Chikkaballapur assembly segment in the past, said he was not keen to contest the elections but he was forced into the fray by the party. “JD(S) supremo H D Deve Gowda was only keen on my candidature,” he added. However, he vowed to work for the victory of the party candidate Radhakrishna. “I will actively campaign for Radhakrishna and there should not be any doubt for anybody,” he said.
In political circles, the rejection of Bachegowda’s nomination is being seen as strategy by H D Kumaraswamy and D K Shivakumar to defeat disqualified MLA K Sudhakar, who in the fray as BJP nominee. Since Radhakrishna is from neighbouring taluk Shidlaghatta, many believe he does not even stand a chance to give tough fight to Sudhakar.
Seer withdraws from fray
In a huge sigh of relief to the ruling BJP, JDS candidate Shivalinga Shivacharya, pontiff of Kabbinakantimath from Hirekerur constituency in
Haveri district has decided to withdraw from the race.
Earlier, the BJP leaders made frantic efforts to reach out to the pontiff to persuade him to withdraw his papers but he remained incommunicado throughout the day. Later in the day, he spoke to few news channels and claimed he would not withdraw from the fray in any circumstances while refusing to divulge details about his whereabouts.
However, he relented after some senior religious leaders prevailed upon him.
The BJP, which has been facing the ‘rebel’ trouble in other constituencies, continued their efforts to get rebel candidates withdrawn from the fray.
Yediyurappa summoned deputy CM Laxman Savadi and senior BJP MLA Umesh Katti to his residence and instructed them to work for the victory of party candidates in Belagavi districts where three seats are going for bypolls. While Katti is upset over being denied the ministerial berth, Savadi is sulking over not getting ticket to contest from Athani. The CM reportedly warned the both that they would be held responsible if the results of Kagawad and Athani went against BJP.
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