Madhu Bangarappa to contest for Lok Sabha as JD(S) candidate despite Shivamogga defeat

Shivamogga: Madhu Bangarappa from JD(S), who lost the Shivamogga Lok Sabha by-election in Karnataka against BJP's BY Raghavendra is set to be party's Lok Sabha candidate  in the 2019 elections, said JD(S) state president H Vishwanath.

The party president appreciated Madhu Bangarappa and said that the margin of defeat was thin and congratulated Madhu for coming close to victory.

Vishwanath said that Madhu was walking in the footsteps of his father S Bangarappa, who was the former chief minister of Karnataka. 

JD(S) has won the highest number of votes in Byndoor constituency and there is a fair chance for Madhu to win the upcoming elections, he said. 

"Madhu was abroad when we called him to contest for by-elections. He got ready in just 10 days for the elections. He reduced the difference between the defeat  margin from over three lakh to a mere  50,000 and that is an improvement, he said. 

Madhu Bangarappa managed to get 4,91,158 against Raghavendra, who secured 5,43,306 votes. Raghavendra is the son of BJP leader and former chief minister BS Yeddyurappa and Madhu is the son of former chief minister Bangarappa. 

It was a matter of prestige for both as Madhu's father S Bangarappa had contested against Raghavendra's father Yeddyurappa in 2008 and had lost by over 45,000 votes. Again Bangarappa contested against Raghavendra for Lok Sabha seat in 2009, but lost by a larger margin of 3 lakh votes.

This time too history was repeated and Madhu lost to Raghavendra by over 45,000 votes.

But JD(S) is looking at it as an achievement of reducing the difference by a considerable margin. There are also speculations that Madhu is likely get a position in the Karnataka Cabinet. However, there has been no official confirmation regarding the same, but supporters are expecting a better position for Madhu Bangarappa in the Congress-JD(S) coalition governemnt.

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