Late on Monday night, the Congress named Karnataka minister Krishna Byre Gowda as its candidate for Bangalore North setting up a high profile contest with Union Minister and incumbent MP Sadananda Gowda. The decision to field Gowda, Minister for Rural Development and Panchayat Raj, was taken at a meeting attended by Congress legislature party leader Siddaramaiah, Deputy Chief Minister G Parameshwara and KPCC President Dinesh Gundu Rao, according to the CLP leader's office. The announcement was made with just two days left for filing of nominations for the first phase of polls in Karnataka to be held on April 18.

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Karnataka Minister Krishna Byre Gowda will contest from the high-profile Bangalore North Lok Sabha constituency on April 18. He will file his nomination at the Bengaluru DC’s office at 1 pm on Tuesday, he announced on Twitter. “I am honored to get the opportunity to file my nomination as the candidate for BLR North#LokSabha Constituency @ DC Office, Near MysoreBank Circle, KG Road. I request all the leaders, Party workers & well-wishers to participate & support. Nomination filing is today 26/03/19 @ 1 pm,” he tweeted.

The Congress earlier in the day said the JD(S) conceded the seat and thanked Deve Gowda for the gesture. "The central election committee has approved the candidature of Krishna Byre Gowda as Congress candidate for the ensuing general election to the Lok Sabha from Bangalore North parliamentary constituency in Karnataka," said the party in a statement from New Delhi, quoting the panel's in-charge and party general secretary Mukul Wasnik. 

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