Karnataka bypolls: Hot race for Congress tickets in three seats, BJP-JD(S) yet to finalise Channapatna candidate

With just five days left for filing nominations, political activities were on both in ruling Congress and the opposition BJP and JD(S) alliance on Sunday, to finalise the candidates for November 13 by-polls to three assembly segments in Karnataka.

While the BJP has already announced its candidates for the Sandur and Shiggaon segments, the party has ceded the high profile Channapatna seat to the JD(S).

Congress is yet to finalise its candidates for all the three seats.

The last date for filing nominations is October 25, and the final date for withdrawal of papers is October 30.

By-polls for Sandur, Shiggaon, and Channapatna are necessitated, as the seats fell vacant following the election of their respective representatives -- E Tukaram of Congress, former CM Basavaraj Bommai of BJP, and Union Minister H D Kumaraswamy of JD(S) -- to Lok Sabha in May elections.

In the ruling Congress, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Sunday chaired a meeting of ministers, along with Deputy Chief Minister and state Congress president D K Shivakumar, where they discussed the by-polls and candidates. They also held discussions on other matters, including the caste census and internal reservation among SCs.

The chief minister during the meeting is said to have asked the ministers to take up responsibilities and ensure victory of party candidates in all the three seats, and also to effectively counter the opposition's false propaganda and narratives against the Congress government. In the meeting it was also discussed that there may be an increase in misuse of the Central agencies until the bypolls are over.

Meanwhile, former Congress MP and Shivakumar's brother D. K. Suresh said that there is pressure on him to contest the by-poll in Channapatna, by party workers and leaders there.

He said he, along with all Congress workers and leaders from the segment, will abide by the party's decision.

Supporters of candidates seeking Congress ticket in Shiggaon gathered near Shivakumar's residence here making demands in favour of their leader.

There seems to be confusion within the Congress about whether the ticket should be given to a Muslim or a Panchamasali Lingayat candidate, party sources said.

The names of former MLA Syed Azeempeer Khadri and Yasir Ahmed Khan Pathan, 2023 defeated candidate, are doing the rounds for the seat along with the name of Shivaleela, wife of former minister and MLA Vinay Kulkarni.

In Sandur, expectations are that the Congress may field a family member of Bellary MP E. Tukaram. However there is opposition from the party's local unit to it, sources added.

The BJP on its part, on Saturday, announced former Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai's son Bharath Bommai as its candidate for Shiggaon by-poll and the party's ST Morcha president Bangaru Hanumanthu for Sandur Assembly segment.

However, suspense continues regarding the NDA's candidate from the all important Channapatna seat, as Kumaraswamy is yet to decide on it.

Despite BJP ceding the Channapatna seat to JD(S), its MLC C. P. Yogeeshwara openly asserting his candidature and even indicating that he may contest as an independent in the event of not getting the ticket, seems to be causing a delay in announcing the candidate.

Though it was earlier said that the Channapatna candidate would be announced on Sunday, Kumaraswamy has now said that the final decision can be expected by Tuesday or Wednesday. This amid reporters that Yogeeshwara may be fielded on a JD(S) ticket, as per arrangement between both sides.

"There is no confusion. He (Yogeeshwara) wants to contest. BJP has declared candidates for two out of three seats. Regarding Channapatna seat it is for our party to decide, discussions are on in this direction," Kumaraswamy told reporters in Mandya.

Noting that the intention is to make decisions and move ahead smoothly, he said, "no one can oppress anyone, such decisions have to happen with mutual affection and trust and no harm should be caused to the mutual trust. Leaders of both parties should understand it and work."

Pointing out that his brother-in-law and noted cardiologist C N Manjunath was fielded on a BJP ticket from Bangalore Rural segment in Lok Sabha polls, Kumaraswamy said, "such generosity has to come from them (BJP now) according to me."

Asked whether he was fine if Yogeeshwara contested under the JD(S) symbol, he said, "let's see what happens." He also said, Congress was trying to create rift between BJP and JD(S) and take advantage of it as it cannot win Channapatna on its own. "I'm going patiently to ensure that there is no rift for Congress to take advantage of."

Meanwhile, BJP veteran and former CM B S Yediyurappa said, Channapatna is JD(S) seat and they can field anyone, and both parties will work together to win all the three seats.

Responding to a question, he said, there was no thinking about fielding a BJP leader under the JD(S) symbol in Channapatna.

Both senior BJP and JD(S) leaders, including Kumaraswamy, had held a meeting on Monday night.

Kumaraswamy doesn't want to cede the Channapatna seat, that he had represented and which has become his political turf, to Yogeeshwara or BJP, according to JD(S) sources.

Kumaraswamy won the Channapatna seat in 2018 and 2023. Before that, Yogeeshwara had represented the seat from BJP and the Samajwadi Party. He had earlier also represented the seat both as an independent and from the Congress.

On the other hand, "D K Brothers" -- Shivakumar and Suresh -- are hoping to regain lost grounds in the region, after the Lok Sabha poll debacle, as Suresh had lost May Lok Sabha polls to BJP-JD(S) joint candidate Dr C N Manjunath in Bangalore Rural Lok Sabha segment , under which the Channapatna Assembly seat comes.