Congress denies courting Yogeshwar over Channapatna bypoll

Bengaluru, NT Bureau: Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy CM DK Shivakumar on Monday denied the charge that Congress leaders had been in contact with BJP man CP Yogeshwar, trying to convince the latter to contest from the Channapatna Assembly by-poll on a party ticket. The allegation had been made by Union Minister HD Kumaraswamy a day prior. On the same day, BJP bigwig BS Yediyurappa confirmed that the Channapatna ticket was left to ally JD(S), This was followed by Yogeshwar resigning from his post as MLC on Monday.

He travelled to Hubballi to tender his resignation at the Council Chairman Basavaraj Horratti’s residence. He said that he still held out hope that the BJP would grant him a chance to contest from Channapatna but failing that he would quit the party and contest as an independent. He added that he didn’t want to contest on a Congress ticket. Channapatna is one of three segments where a by-election would be conducted on November 13. The saffron party has already declared its candidates from the remaining two constituencies. JD(S) is likely to field party Karnataka youth wing president Nikhil Kumaraswamy from Channapatna as the lone National Democratic Alliance (NDA). Shivakumar made the comments to mediapersons before his Sadashivanagar residence in Bengaluru. “I have neither met CP Yogeshwar nor have spoken to him.

I gave him the due respect that needs to be given to an MLC during the Independence Day function in Channapatna. Other than that, there has been no interaction between us. If Kumaraswamy thinks he has some information, let him make it public. I made it clear to the party that there was no need to look outside the party currently,” he said.