Former Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda’s son-in-law to make debut in Lok Sabha polls

CN Manjunath is the director of the state-owned Sri Jayadeva Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences.

Bangalore:

Renowned cardiac surgeon Dr CN Manjunath and son-in-law of former Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda on Wednesday entered politics as the Bharatiya Janata Party announced his candidacy in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections from Bengaluru Rural constituency.

The Bharatiya Janata Party on Wednesday announced the first list of 20 candidates for Karnataka, which has a total of 28 seats.

Mr Manjunath on Wednesday met senior BJP leader BS Yediyurappa, who will take on sitting MP DK Suresh, brother of deputy chief minister and state Congress chief DK Shivakumar.

BJP and JD(S) have formed an alliance in Karnataka and according to sources, JD(S) will contest from three seats – Mandya, Hassan and Kolar – the two parties have agreed Agreement, sent Mr. Manjunath to office on the BJP’s symbol.

Mr Manjunath retired in January this year after heading the state-owned Sri Jayadeva Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences for 17 years.

Mr Yeddyurappa welcomed Manjunath to the BJP and said his joining had strengthened the party, with both Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah hailing him Express happiness by joining the BJP and participating in the polls.

“He will contest the Lok Sabha polls. When these people contest elections, they should be elected unopposed, but elections are politically inevitable,” Yediyurappa said.

Manjunath said: “This will be a hat-trick election for Modi. Under his leadership, the country has gained global reputation in various fields, including the economy. He has always encouraged achievers and experts.”

Noting that during his time as a cardiologist and in the medical field, he had worked to ensure that health services were provided to the poor and downtrodden at low cost, Manjunath said, “I will not play politics in politics.” He said , which has received support from people from all walks of life, “With the popularity of Modi, under the leadership of Yediyurappa, Dev Gowda and HD Kumaraswamy (JD-S national president), I have prepared It’s easy to face everything.”

Meanwhile, Kumaraswamy, while addressing a party meeting in Hassan district headquarters town on Wednesday, said the BJP high command asked him to convince his brother-in-law Dr Manjunath to join politics and contest the polls investigation.

Mr. Manjunath, the son of farmers in Hassan district, is also well-known abroad, he said.

“I did not decide to make him a candidate. Manjunath also did not decide to join politics. Considering his 17 years of service, the media started thinking that he should join politics. Maybe we did not get the publicity too and I should thank the media,” Kumaraswamy explain.

JD(S) supremo Deve Gowda had also earlier said that he would not “allow” Manjunath to contest at any cost. Recently, he publicly advised Manjunnar not to enter politics.

According to an earlier statement from the former chief minister’s office, Kumaraswamy said during a meeting with JD(S) leaders in the Bengaluru rural unit that he spent two hours on Sunday convincing his father Deve Gowda ) sent Manjunath.

Kumaraswamy further said, “The BJP high command told me, ‘You should convince your brother-in-law somehow. We need him.'” They pressured me to contest. Today, he comes from the same Kanakapura constituency where my politics was born. Today is Bangalore Rural. ”

Mr. Kumaraswamy also said that his sister (Manjunath’s wife) was not happy with her husband’s entry into politics. “My sister was in tears and asked why they were being dragged into politics. She said we live a peaceful life and we don’t want politics… but defeating our opponents is my goal.”

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)