Ending days of suspense, Janata Dal (Secular) on Saturday said its national president and former Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda will contest the Lok Sabha poll from Tumkur.
The 85-year-old JD(S) patriarch had earlier expressed doubts about contesting the polls, saying he was thinking about his “usefulness” in the national capital.
“Former PM and JD(S) national president HD Deve Gowda will contest from Tumkur Parliamentary constituency as JD(S)-Congress combined candidate,” JD(S) spokesperson Ramesh Babu said in a statement.
Gowda will file his nomination on March 25, he said, adding that JD(S) and Congress leaders will be present on the occasion.
Gowda ceded the Hassan seat that he had been representing to his grandson Prajwal Revanna.
Amid doubts about Gowda contesting the polls, as he had earlier indicated he would not, there was speculation that he may contest from Bangalore North. Though there was pressure within JD(S) for their party supremo to contest from Bangalore North, it was apprehensive about Congress' complete support there as most party's MLAs there are considered close to Gowda's bete noire Siddaramaiah.
It was feared that the MLAs may seek to take revenge for the former Chief Minister's defeat from Chamundeshwari in the 2018 Assembly polls.