BJP, JD(S) to discuss candidate for Channapatna by-poll, says Nikhil

Bengaluru, NT Bureau: JD(S) leader and Union Minister H D Kumaraswamy's son Nikhil Kumaraswamy on Wednesday said leaders of BJP and his party will discuss and announce the NDA candidate for the November 13 by-polls to Channapatna Assembly segment. BJP leader C P Yogeeshwara's move to quit the party and join Congress on Wednesday to contest the bypolls was not "unexpected", he said, claiming that the ruling party could not find a suitable candidate from within, and had to rely on an "outsider" for the contest. "BJP state President B Y Vijayendra and Leader of Opposition in the Assembly R Ashoka have spoken to (H D) Kumaraswamy.

In the evening state leaders of both parties will discuss and announce the NDA candidate for Channapatna," Nikhil said. Speaking to reporters here after meeting with JD(S) national President and his grandfather H D Deve Gowda, he said the former Prime Minister has told him that there should be no "blot" on the alliance between JD(S) and BJP in anyway from his party, as it had been blessed by the people of the state in the Lok Sabha polls earlier this year. Channapatna will go for by-polls along with Sandur and Shiggaon Assembly segments. The last date for filing nominations is October 25, and the final date for withdrawal of papers is October 30. Channapatna bypoll is necessitated as the seat fell vacant following the election of H D Kumaraswamy to Lok Sabha from Mandya. Noting that despite having 136 MLAs and Congress workers demanding ticket for the Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar's brother and former MP D K Suresh in Channapatna, it has been given to Yogeeshwara who has been welcomed from another party, Nikhil asked as to why the ruling party had go for a candidate from "outside." Alleging that Yogeeshwara's politics has been "without any commitment towards any party", he said his politics is for "power and with selfish motives." With BJP ceding Channapatana seat to its NDA partner JD(S), Yogeeshwara, the actor-turned-politician, had appealed to leaders of the alliance to consider giving him a ticket from the saffron party.

He had also said that he had plans to contest as an independent if he didn't get the ticket. There were plans to field Yogeeshwara on a JD(S) ticket, but he was not interested in it, sources said. "Instead, he wanted Kumaraswamy to support him as BJP candidate, which was not acceptable to the latter and his party," JD(S) sources said. Despite BJP and JD(S) showing "generosity" towards Yogeeshwara, he has joined the Congress party, Nikhil said, adding, JD(S) leaders were even open to the idea of his contesting on a JD(S) ticket. "But his conduct clearly indicated what his next step could be. This (Yogeeshwara joining Congress) was not unexpected for us." On the possibility of his contesting the bypolls as NDA candidate, which is also the demand of a section of JD(S) workers, Nikhil said as a JD(S) worker, he personally wants an honest local party worker to be given the ticket. Actor-turned-politician Nikhil Kumaraswamy had lost the 2023 Assembly polls from neighbouring Ramanagara.