BENGALURU: A day after the Congress swept the three bypolls in Karnataka, Deputy CM DK Shivakumar, who is also the KPCC president, said that the BJP and JDS leaders extended their tacit support to Congress candidate CP Yogeshwara, ensuring his victory against NDA’s Nikhil Kumaraswamy.
On senior JDS leader GT Devegowda’s statement that he would join the Congress if that is the desire of his supporters, “It is not just GT Devegowda’s opinion... a lot of people want to do it. Many in the BJP have the same thought. Could we (Congress) have won the seat if the BJP leaders had not supported us?”
Yogeshwara defeated Nikhil Kumaraswamy by a margin of over 25,000 votes in the bypolls for which the results were announced on Saturday. “BJP leader Dr CN Ashwath Narayan on Saturday said that he knew about Yogeshwara’s victory beforehand. Is he dumb to say this, having been a district in-charge minister and DyCM in the past? He read the pulse of the voters,” Shivakumar told media persons in Kanakapura.
Shivakumar defended his statement by citing the booth-wise polling data wherein the Congress polled more votes than Nikhil in areas where the BJP leaders had visited their party workers during the campaigning.
“Many people from across the parties have helped us in this election (Channapatna). Congress had only 16,000 votes in the previous assembly election. It increased in the Lok Sabha election. We received direct and indirect support from BJP and JDS workers and leaders. We will develop the constituency, taking everyone into confidence,” he said.
Shivakumar also said that the victory was a result of concerted efforts by everyone and not limited to a few individuals. “DK Brothers will not take the credit,” he said.
When asked if Ramanagara district has now become free of JDS, he said, “It is not important for us to make Ramanagara JDS-mukt. Their tally has already gone down from 19 to 18 in the Assembly.”
When his attention was drawn to the post-victory slogans that he should be the next CM, Shivakumar said, “It is not important who the CM is. Development is important for us. Kumaraswamy did not keep up his promises. We will have to develop the constituency and show him how it’s done.”
On the cabinet reshuffle, he said, “There is no pressure for it. You check with the CM.”
On allegations by Union Minister HD Kumaraswamy that Congress used money power to defeat Nikhil, Shivakumar said whether it was the same money that helped NDA during the Lok Sabha elections when the former’s brother-in-law, Dr CN Manjunath, defeated DK Suresh in the Bangalore Rural seat.
Ashoka hits back
Hitting back at DyCM DK Shivakumar, LoP in the Assembly R Ashoka said no one should try to create tension between the BJP and JDS by spreading false claims. Speaking in Kannada, he remarked, “Yaru thandiko kelasa madbaradu,” which translates to: “No one should spread such false information that could result in discord between JDS and BJP.”
'Can’t rule out hacking of EVMs in Maha elections'
Home Minister Dr G Parameshwara, AICC observer for Maharashtra Assembly elections, said that there were possibilities of hacking of EVMs in some constituencies of that state. Dr Para-meshwara said, “For the past 15 years, we have been opposing the use of EVMs in elections. Why can’t we go back to paper ballots? AICC had constituted a panel. But the system is with them (Centre). Even some NDA leaders are against using EVMs.’’
“It is better to bring back the paper ballot system and stop using EVMs to ensure a free and fair election. There is resistance to EVMs in India and even in America. Some BJP leaders are also against EVMs but are selective in voicing their views. We can’t say EVMs have been hacked across Maharashtra, but there are possibilities of hacking in some constituencies,’’ he said.
On the bypoll results in Karnataka, Dr Parameshwara said people have ignored the allegations against the ruling Congress made by BJP leaders. “What people want is development and they believe in Congress government,” he added. The home minister said that the Congress had predicted that it would win all three constituencies even before going to polls and the party won them. CM Siddaramaiah and DyCM DK Shivakumar played a big role in the party’s victory. “Our leaders and party workers worked collectively and that resulted in our victory,’’ he added.