It’s Nikhil vs Yogeshwara in Channapatna

BJP leaders, including Leader of Opposition in the Assembly R Ashoka, expressed confidence in Nikhil winning from Channapatna.
LoP in Assembly R Ashoka, Union Minister HD Kumaraswamy, former chief minister  BS Yediyurappa, and NDA candidate from Channapatna, Nikhil Kumaraswamy, pose for shutterbugs, in Bengaluru on Thursday
LoP in Assembly R Ashoka, Union Minister HD Kumaraswamy, former chief minister BS Yediyurappa, and NDA candidate from Channapatna, Nikhil Kumaraswamy, pose for shutterbugs, in Bengaluru on ThursdayPhoto | Nagaraja Gadekal
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BENGALURU: JDS leader Nikhil Kumaraswamy was on Thursday declared as the NDA candidate for the November 13 bypolls from the Channapatna Assembly constituency. Nikhil is the son of Union Minister HD Kumaraswamy and grandson of former PM HD Deve Gowda. Nikhil, 36, will take on former minister CP Yogeshwara of the Congress. Yogeshwara resigned as BJP MLC earlier this week and joined the Congress.

The decision to field Nikhil, the JDS youth-wing chief, was taken after the alliance partners—JDS and BJP—weighed their options by holding a series of meetings.

“Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s blessing is there (for Nikhil). Hundred percent Nikhil will win,” said BJP Parliamentary Board Member and former CM BS Yediyurappa, who announced Nikhil’s candidature after holding a discussion with leaders of both parties at his residence.

Yediyurappa further said that all the key leaders from the BJP and JDS will campaign together. He refused to comment on Yogeshwara, who switched to Congress from the BJP, saying that there is no need to talk about defectors.

Earlier, former PM HD Deve Gowda, who chaired the JDS Channapatna leaders’ and workers’ meeting, said that Nikhil did not want to contest and wished to get a party worker elected as an MLA. But he was forced to become the candidate by JDS workers, he said. “I will go to Channapatna as Nikhil will file his nomination papers on Friday and camp there (to campaign extensively),” Deve Gowda said.

Echoing similar thoughts, an emotionally charged HD Kumaraswamy said that JDS workers put pressure to field Nikhil from Channapatna. “Whenever a question on JDS’ survival arose, my family members were fielded as candidates in the past,” Kumaraswamy said.

LoP in Assembly R Ashoka, Union Minister HD Kumaraswamy, former chief minister  BS Yediyurappa, and NDA candidate from Channapatna, Nikhil Kumaraswamy, pose for shutterbugs, in Bengaluru on Thursday
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It can be recalled that Nikhil’s mother, Anitha Kumaraswamy, had lost to Yogeshwara from Channapatna in the 2013 Assembly elections. In 2019, Nikhil lost from the Mandya Lok Sabha constituency and tasted defeat in Ramanagara in the 2023 Karnataka Assembly polls.

Kumaraswamy maintained that his brother-in-law and Bangalore Rural MP Dr CN Manjunath, offered Yogeshwara to contest even on a BJP ticket for which he (Kumaraswamy) too was prepared. “The issue of tickets is irrelevant now as the victory of the NDA candidate under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership is more important,” Kumaraswamy added.

BJP leaders, including Leader of Opposition in the Assembly R Ashoka, expressed confidence in Nikhil winning from Channapatna. “Nikhil has a sympathy factor on his side; besides, he is PM Modi’s candidate as well,” remarked Ashoka.

Conspiracy was hatched against me: Yogeshwara

Hitting out at JDS, DyCM and state Congress chief DK Shivakumar said that the regional party was left with no other option other than fielding Nikhil. DyCM Shivakumar and CM Siddaramaiah attended a huge rally in Channapatna.

Yogeshwara’s victory by a huge margin of over 50,000 votes is certain given his popularity as a good legislator who had ensured the filling of tanks in the constituency in the past, the CM said.

“The BJP meted out injustice to me by denying me the ticket. A conspiracy was hatched against me... but I could overcome it and joined the Congress. The people of Channapatna will back my decision. The development works I had carried out in the past and the promise of more such works by the Ruling Congress will help me. I have CM, DyCM, and their Cabinet colleagues backing me,” Yogeshwara said. He clarified that he will not underestimate Nikhil, though the latter has lost two consecutive polls.

LoP in Assembly R Ashoka, Union Minister HD Kumaraswamy, former chief minister  BS Yediyurappa, and NDA candidate from Channapatna, Nikhil Kumaraswamy, pose for shutterbugs, in Bengaluru on Thursday
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