The Janata Dal (Secular) nominated Govindaraju as the party candidate for the election to the Legislative Council scheduled to be held on June 29.
Sitting member T.A. Saravana and Rajya Sabha member Kupendra Reddy, who is set to retire on June 25, were strong contenders for the seat. At least three dozen former legislators were also eyeing the seat. However, Mr. Govindaraju's name had been doing the rounds over the last couple of days after the meeting of legislators with the party supremo H.D. Deve Gowda.
On Thursday, accompanied by former Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy, party State president H.K. Kumaraswamy, former Chairman of the Legislative Council Basavaraj Horatti, former Deputy Speaker of the Legislative Assembly Krishna Reddy and Kolar legislator Srinivas Gowda, Mr. Govindaraju filed his nomination papers at the Vidhana Soudha. Mr. Govindaraju has business interest in Kolar and is also a poultry farmer.
The JD(S) with 34 legislators in the Assembly can elect one member as the required number of votes per candidate is 29. In all, elections are being held for seven seats of which BJP and Congress with their strength in the Assembly are capable of winning 4 and 2 seats respectively.
Party sources said that Mr. Govindaraju’s name had been suggested by the top leadership with an eye on the next Assembly elections, and the leadership feels that his candidature will help the party grow in Kolar and Chikkaballapur, which have a sizeable Vokkaliga population. The party, which was hoping to perform well in these two districts (Chikkaballapur was carved out of Kolar district) in the 2018 elections lost some seats narrowly, and could win only one seat each in the two districts. Mr. Govindaraju, party sources said, is respected and has a good clout in the community, and the party expects to gain ground in these two districts.
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