BENGALURU: In a political twist, former Kanakapura MP Tejasvini Gowda, a Vokkaliga leader, has written to AICC General Secretary KC Venugopal, urging him to consider her for the Channapatna Assembly bypoll ticket. This comes just months after her return to the Congress after her shock resignation from BJP as an MLC.
Tejasvini, whose political journey is phenomenal, shot to national prominence in 2004, defeating former prime minister HD Deve Gowda in the Kanakapura -- now Bangalore Rural Lok Sabha -- constituency by a huge margin of 1,20,000 votes. Channapatna, a crucial assembly segment within this constituency, was a major factor in her landslide victory.
Speaking to TNIE, Tejasvini recalled the overwhelming support she received from Channapatna in 2004. Although her 2009 battle against former CM HD Kumaraswamy didn’t go her way, owing to delimitation, party infighting and defections, she brushed off the past, choosing to focus on the future.
In a twist of fate, the force behind her 2004 triumph, DK Shivakumar, now KPCC president, once again appears to be backing her. After her meeting with Shivakumar on Tuesday, the stage seems set for another dramatic chapter in her career.
Party insiders said a victory for her would also solidify Shivakumar’s leadership within Congress. Later, Gowda was seen with Venugopal at CM Siddaramaiah’s residence. As the stakes are high, the opposition is not taking the contest lightly.
NDA sources made it clear that if Congress picks Tejasvini, they are out for revenge after her defection from BJP. Within Congress, Tejasvini is up against former Karnataka Public Service Commission member Raghunandan Ramanna for the ticket.
In the opposition camp, BJP MLC CP Yogeshwara is a strong contender. But with Kumaraswamy, who held the seat till getting elected to the Lok Sabha, is keen on BJP-JDS alliance ticket for his son Nikhil. Yogeshwara on Wednesday indicated that he could contest as an independent if the NDA ticket does not come his way.