As is the case across most of Bengaluru city, Malleswaram is also seeing incumbent MLA Dr C N Ashwath Narayan battling anti-incumbency. This despite Congress and JD(S) struggling to find a strong candidate to take on the BJP MLA.

Congress initially wanted to field science and technology minister MR Seetharam, who had represented the constituency in 2004. But Seetharam backed out and the party decided to go with its second best option – Kengal Shreepada Renu, grandson of Kengal Hanumanthaiah, second CM of Mysuru state and architect of Vidhana Soudha.

Renu, who is making his electoral debut, says he is banking on anti-incumbency, apart from his grandfather’s name.

A KPCC campaign committee member and Congress spokesperson, Renu also believes that the party is in a better position in the constituency as his candidature has united party workers, unlike when Seetharam was announced in the first list.

“Let me put it this way, I am the neutral candidate between two warring factions within the party,” Renu says.

Congress also cites a supposed “whisper” campaign within BJP ranks, which may assist it in the polls.

BJP saw a concerted effort by a local, Prakash Iyengar, to get the ticket. Iyengar, claiming to represent Brahmins (45,500) who form one of the biggest chunks of the 2.16-lakh strong electorate, even approached the Pejawar Mutt seer to get him to make a statement seeking more tickets for Brahmins by all parties.

But BJP finally went along with Ashwath Narayan, leading to speculation that the rejected candidate might influence a divide in the Brahmin vote bank.

JD(S) has fielded a political novice, Madhu Sudhan N, suggesting the party is not “too keen” on the segment.

