His candidature has been unanimously approved not only by the national leaders of BJP including Union Home Minister Amit Shah and BJP National President J.P.Nadda but also by the rank and file of the Janata Dal (Secular). In fact, former minister, C.P.Yogeshwar, a strong contender for the Bengaluru Rural Lok Sabha constituency, has backed out and supported Dr Manjunath's candidature.

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The only person who had opposed the entry of Dr Manjunath into politics had been his father-in-law and former prime minister, H.D.Deve Gowda. But as many in the media say :" if Deve Gowda says 'No', then it is  a 'Yes' and if he says 'Yes' then consider it a 'No'."

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Sources close to Deve Gowda's family told this reporter that another reason for the former premier to oppose his son-in-law entering politics was to deflect criticism of his party's  dynastic politics. While Deve Gowda is Rajya Sabha member, both his sons, H.D.Revanna and H.D.Kumaraswamy are MLAs, and while one grandson, Prajwal Revanna is the MP from Hassan, another grandson, Suraj Revanna is an MLC. If Dr Manjunath enters politics, it would be open season for the opposition parties on accusations that Deve Gowda promotes his family members in politics at the expense of party workers.

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The BJP however has so far brushed aside criticism of this 'parivarwad', and is keen to field Dr Manjunath against the sitting MP, D.K.Suresh, a brother of KPCC President and Deputy Chief Minister D.K.Shivakumar. Both the JDS and BJP have conducted a field survey that gives Manjunath a fair chance at unseating the Congress strongman.

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Why Dr Manjunath

Dr Manjunath has earned a very good reputation as the director of the government-run Jayadeva Hospital for several years now. He has been fondly called the ' common man's doctor' because of his availability to everyone, earning him the moniker 'dil ka doctor.' He is a down to earth person and attends on all patients referred to by the elected representatives, irrespective of their party affiliation. Thanks to his efforts, the units of Jayadeva Hospital has been established in Mysore and Hubballi too.

The BJP wants to cash in on his popularity to thwart the powerful D.K. brothers.

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In 2009, H.D.Kumaraawamy had won from this constituency but it was snatched away by D.K.Suresh in 2014 and 2019 parliamentary polls. In fact, in the previous Lok Sabha polls, Ashwath Narayana of the BJP too has given a tough fight to Suresh even though the party had fielded him in the very last minute, but failed to win. The caste break up favours Vokkaligas who are in the majority in this constituency followed by the SC, backward classes and minorities voters. In the previous Assembly polls, the JDS won just one seat and the rest were bagged by the Congress Party.

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For JDS, Suresh is public enemy number one after his sustained  attacks on the Deve Gowda family, and are banking on the goodwill the 'Good Doctor' enjoys to dislodge the Congress' rural strongman.