Have older ties with Channapatna, DKS tells Kumaraswamy

Bengaluru, NT Bureau: Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar hit back at Union Minister for Heavy Industries, Steel and Public Enterprises HD Kumaraswamy, pointing out that he had a longer-standing ties with Channapatna compared to his Vokkaliga rival.

The Karnataka Congress chief was referring to the fact that pre-delimitation, his constituency Sathanur included parts of Channapatna taluk.

Post-delimitation, he switched to Kanakapura, which has remained his seat. Kumaraswamy had won from Channapatna in 2023 and 2018 against BJP leader CP Yogeshwar, who had held the seat prior to that. Kumaraswamy resigned as the Channapatna MLA after he won from the Mandya Lok Sabha segment.

The two rivals buried the hatchet and have been working together since BJP and JD(S) entered into an alliance in September 2023.

Yogeshwar, an MLC and five-time Channapatna MLA, is said to be the top contender for the seat’s ticket on behalf of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) partners. There are speculations that either one of Shivakumar or his brother DK Suresh would contest from Channapatna by-poll.