BENGALURU: Even as the Election Commission of India (ECI) is yet to announce the dates for the bypolls to the Channapatna Assembly constituency, hectic political activities have begun in Karnataka.
While Union Minister and state Janata Dal-Secular president HD Kumaraswamy held deliberations with BJP Karnataka in-charge Dr Radha Mohan Das Agrawal in New Delhi on Thursday, Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) chief and DyCM DK Shivakumar on Friday announced projects worth over Rs 300 crore for Channapatna constituency.
“The date for the bypolls will be announced in the next one week. We are not thinking about the candidate. I request our voters to think that I am the candidate and vote. I request the voters to see my face and vote instead of the candidate,” Shivakumar appealed to the electorate at a public function organised to lay the foundation stone for various projects.
He claimed that the State Government has distributed 5,000 houses to the eligible beneficiaries, with each gram panchayat getting 100-150 houses. Shivakumar said that development works would be taken up in each panchayat of Channapatna taluk with an allocation of Rs 2-5 crore.
Stakes are high for both Kumaraswamy and Shivakumar in Channapatna — a Vokkaliga bastion in the Old Mysuru region. The seat fell vacant following the resignation of Kumaraswamy after he was elected to the Lok Sabha from Mandya earlier this year.
According to informed sources, Kumaraswamy, along with his son and JDS youth wing chief Nikhil, met Agrawal. “Kumaraswamy will campaign for BJP candidates in the bypolls to Sandur and Shiggaon constituencies as per the agreement,” a source told The New Indian Express.
Although JDS sources have categorically said that Nikhil will not contest the bypolls, it cannot be ruled out, say party insiders. Shivakumar’s younger brother and former Bengaluru Rural MP, DK Suresh, is likely to be the Congress candidate.
With the name of former minister and BJP MLC CP Yogeshwar doing the rounds for the NDA ticket, Kumaraswamy is not ready to accept the former as a candidate from Channapatna. “How can he be fielded on a JDS ticket as he (Yogeshwar) masterminded and brought down the governments led by HD Kumaraswamy and BS Yediyurappa in the past,” a JDS leader said.
According to sources, Yogeshwar is unlikely to contest as an independent if he missed the NDA ticket. “But we have to wait and watch if the Congress inducts Yogeshwar at the last minute,” said a political analyst.