Yogeshwar struck deal with Cong during LS polls: HDK

NT Correspondent

Ramanagar

Union Minister HD Kumaraswamy reiterated his claim that Congress Channapatna candidate CP Yogeshwar had agreed to contest the seat on a JD(S) ticket and then reneged. Kumaraswamy went so far as to allege that Yogeshwar had agreed to join Congress back in April when the Lok Sabha elections were going on. Yogeshwar had been a BJP MLC back then. The Union Minister made the comments in the Bevuru Mandya village of Channapatna taluk in Ramanagar district. “Yogeshwar was with us during the Lok Sabha elections only in name. Mentally, he was already with the Congress. He deceived both JD(S) and the BJP leaders." Kumaraswamy said, adding that “the deal was made three months ago.” He even claimed that Yogeshwar had flip-flopped and betrayed the BJP and ally JD(S).

“Initially, Yogeshwar claimed he was willing to contest from any party, under any symbol, be it JD(S) or BJP. He even told the media as much. Later, we asked him to contest as a JD(S) candidate. BJP national president JP Nadda told him to contest from his own party, and we respected that advice. But then, Yogeshwar changed his stance suddenly,” he added. “In the end, Union Minister Prahlad Joshi, along with several other leaders, insisted that he should contest as a BJP candidate. Even Dr CN Manjunath came forward and advised him to contest on the BJP ticket. However, Yogeshwar, who had already struck a deal, abandoned this and swiftly jumped to the Congress”, Kumaraswamy claimed.