Kumaraswamy leads in Ramanagar: Karnataka Elections 2018

Former Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda's son HD Kumaraswamy is being seen leading from Ramanagara seat. Kumaraswamy is leading over the Congress candidate Iqbal Husaain by over 7000 votes. Kumaraswamy has emerged as an unassailable leader in this Vokkaliga-dominated constituency, which has given three Chief Ministers to the state Kengal Hanumanthaiah, H D Deve Gowda and Kumaraswamy.

Apart from the caste factor, Kumaraswamy has succeeded in establishing a strong connect with electorate from all the communities as it was he, who as the CM in 2007, gave the district tag for Ramanagara. Earlier, the Congress' choice of candidate had sparked rumours of a secret pact between Kumaraswamy and Congress Campaign Committee chief D K Shivakumar as the JD(S) has fielded a "weak candidate" (Narayana Gowda) in Shivakumar's Kanakapura constituency. Meanwhile, Kumaraswamy has made it clear that he is in the race for Chief Ministership, with claims that his party will win full majority. But after exit polls predicted a hung house, where his party will play a crucial role in forming the next government, there is speculation that the JDS will angle for a deputy chief minister's post in return for its support.