Bengaluru: Following a state intelligence report that it is difficult to defeat union minister DV Sadananda Gowda at Bengaluru North Lok Sabha constituency, former Prime Minister and JDS supremo HD Deve Gowda has now shifted his sights to Chikkaballapura constituency which is presently represented by Congress MP, former union minister M Veerappa Moily.

According to sources, on Friday, HD Deve Gowda held discussions with former MP of Chikkaballapura R L Jalappa on the possibility of his candidature from the constituency which has a huge number of Vokkaliga votes.

“Gowda’s plan is to field Nikhil from Mandya and Prajwal from Hassan. But his plan is taking a serious beating with Sumalata seeking to enter the Mandya race on a Congress ticket,” said a JDS leader.

Sources in the Congress say that local party leaders are planning to field Sumalata as an independent candidate in the event of the party deciding to leave the constituency to JDS. “We don’t want a walkover for the JDS in the constituency,” said a Congress leader.