BENGALURU: Though the NDA candidate has not been finalised for the bypolls to Channapatna assembly constituency, Leader of Opposition in the Assembly R Ashoka batted for former minister and MLC CP Yogeshwara.
Ashoka claimed that he and former deputy CM Dr CN Ashwathnarayan had spoken to Yogeshwara and discussed the issue with Union Minister for Steel and Heavy Industries HD Kumaraswamy. “We will appeal to the party high command to give the ticket to Yogeshwara when we visit New Delhi,” he told reporters on Monday.
Meanwhile, Yogeshwara continued to lobby for the ticket on his own, meeting BJP high command leaders in New Delhi. He held a round of talks a couple of weeks ago and warned that he dared to contest as an independent if the NDA does not consider his candidature.
On the other hand, Kumaraswamy’s son Nikhil Kumaraswamy has been frequenting Channapatna assembly constituency, sending feelers that he could be the NDA candidate. Kumaraswamy is in no mood to relinquish the seat to the BJP, as he was Channapatna MLA before quitting to become Mandya MP. The BJP is likely to leave it to him to decide on the candidate as it will take the Sandur and Shiggaon assembly seats.