HDK: Channapatna candidate to be named in week, pressure on Nikhil

NT Correspondent Bengaluru: Union Minister for Heavy Industries, Steel and Public Enterprises HD Kumaraswamy said that the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) would reveal its candidate for Channapatna in a week while acknowledging that there was a demand for his son Nikhil to contest from the Assembly seat. Kumaraswamy made the comments to mediapersons on Saturday after convening a meeting with JD(S) workers and party leaders called to discuss selection of candidate for the by-poll. The meeting took place at Kumaraswamy’s farmhouse at the Kattegenahalli village of Bidadi taluk in Ramanagar district. JD(S) legislative party leader Suresh Babu, JD(S) Karnataka youth wing president Nikhil Kumaraswamy, and party Channapatna taluk president Jayamuthu and others from the Channapatna constituency attended the meeting.

The NDA is expected to field a joint candidate and since JD(S) has won Channpatna twice in a row, the regional outfit is likely to bag the ticket according to people in the know. The seat was won by Kumaraswamy in 2018 first and then a second time in 2023. However, he had to vacate it after winning from the Mandya Lok Sabha segment. Since then, five-time Channapatna MLA and BJP MLC CP Yogeshwar has expressed an interest to contest from the seat. Kumaraswamy said that the dates for Channapatna by-poll alongside two other Assembly seats might also be announced in a week.

“The ticket will be finalized within a week. The election date may be announced in the next four to five days. We will discuss with BJP's high command and finalize the candidate promptly,” he said. “About 95 per cent of the leaders and workers believe Nikhil should contest. However, we must assess the current situation before making a decision,” he added. Nikhil refused to confirm his probable candidacy, adding that since Channapatna was a JD(S) “stronghold”, a common worker would also win from the seat.