Karnataka Congress chief and Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar was the one who read the riot act to those haggling over seats -- Food and Civil Supplies and Consumer affairs Minister K H Muniyappa and Higher Education Minister Dr M C Sudhakar in Kolar's case.

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Shivakumar did not mince words while stating the ministers in the respective constituencies would be held responsible in case of the party candidates' defeat, especially in places where the selection had been done by the high command to stymie faction-fighting.

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Earlier, Dr Sudhakar had threatened to resign along with four other legislators following reports the Kolar seat had been given to Muniyappa's son-in-law. The party high command subsequently brought in a neutral candidate in Gowtham.

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After the resignation fiasco, Shivakumar summoned Dr Sudhakar and gave him a dressing down for embarrassing the party, that too in the build-up to the crucial Lok Sabha polls. The minister not only apologised but promised to work for Gowtham's victory.

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Muniyappa too was told to forget the episode and swing into action. The KPCC president reportedly warned the duo that their heads would roll in case Gowtham lost for want of unity among the leaders.

On Saturday, when Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar launched the poll campaign, almost all the leaders were present except Muniyappa. It was not clear whether he had been given an exemption to be away in his constituency Devanahalli. Shivakumar marked the start of the campaign by offering a special puja to Lord Ganesha at Kurudumale near Mulbagal in the district.

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The BJP's S Muniswamy is the sitting MP and like him, both Gowtham and the NDA candidate Mallesh Babu (JDS) are from outside the constituency, making it an interesting tussle this time. A victory for Gowtham is imperative for both Muniyappa and Dr Sudhakar to save their chairs while Babu, apart from the JDS base, is also hoping to benefit from the Modi factor.