BJP leader P Muniraju Gowda filed his nomination for the Legislative Council bypoll here on Thursday.
He will contest for the seat that fell vacant due to the untimely death of S L Dharme Gowda, who was the Council deputy chairperson. The election is scheduled on March 15.
Muniraju’s victory seems certain as the Opposition Congress does not have enough numbers to defeat him.
This is seen as the BJP’s way of placating Muniraju, the party’s defeated candidate in the 2018 Assembly polls from Rajarajeshwarinagar against Muniratna who was then with the Congress.
Muniraju was sulking after the BJP fielded Muniratna as its candidate for the November 2020 bypoll.
He is also the complainant in a case of election irregularities filed against Muniratna. He is seen as loyal of BJP national general secretary (organisation) B L Santhosh.
Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa, BJP state president Nalin Kumar Kateel, Ministers Basavaraj Bommai, R Ashoka and S T Somashekhar accompanied
Muniraju.