BENGALURU: Revenue Minister R Ashoka, who has been fielded from Kanakapura Assembly segment against Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president D K Shivakumar, has remained away from the constituency even three days after his candidature was announced.
On the other hand, Ashoka’s cabinet colleague V Somanna has hit the ground running in Varuna constituency, where he is pitted against Opposition leader Siddaramaiah.
Ashoka, who had claimed that Prime Minister Narenda Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah are his commanders and that he would do as directed, now seems to be worried as he had no inkling about contesting from Kanakapura. But since he has been asked by the party bosses, there is little he can do.
In Kanakapura, the BJP does not have much organisational strength at the ground level and Ashoka seems to be worried that if he has to take on Shivakumar, the going may get tough for him on his home turf Padmanabha Nagar if the Congress fields Shivakumar brother D K Suresh from there. In view of these factors, it is said that Ashoka may be biding his time.