Days after his shocking defeat in the Channapatna bypolls, Janata Dal-Secular candidate Nikhil Kumaraswamy acknowledged his pain over the loss and expressed his determination to rise again.
Nikhil, son of Union Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy, who was picked as the NDA candidate to take on the Congress candidate C.P. Yogeshwar, failed to retain the seat previously held by his father. Earlier, Nikhil, an actor-turned-politician had contested and lost from Mandya in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls and Ramanagara in the 2023 Assembly polls.
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A day after his opponent Yogeshwar claimed to “empty out” the JDS party, Nikhil penned a letter to his supporters to share his thoughts on the defeat.
Calling it an “unexpected” and “disheartening” defeat, Nikhil said neither the party nor he had the temperament to sit back fearing a setback.
“Our party has endured numerous defeats in the past, only to rise again like a phoenix through relentless struggles. In this long journey of ups and downs, I am a small traveller. The party, under the leadership of towering figures like the revered H.D. Deve Gowda, has given Karnataka several capable leaders.
"This defeat has caused me pain, undeniably. But I won’t deceive myself by claiming otherwise. I did not enter this election expecting to lose and fought hard. But some factors led to our loss. I am not one to seek sympathy. My past two defeats have given me inner strength and courage. I joined the JDS-BJP leaders and workers in waging a bold battle in Channapatna,” said Nikhil.
Acknowledging the party workers, Nikhil said he understood the deep disappointment caused to the party workers by his defeat. “I know the immense effort you all put in, working day and night in Channapatna like true warriors. You visited every household, striving for my victory. Ultimately, the people gave their mandate and I humbly accept it. Victory and defeat are part of any battle. I will not retreat in fear of deceitful politics. Let us show our strength in the next election, rebuild our party and fight for the people with renewed vigor. We are on the side of truth. Satyameva Jayate - is not just a slogan for us—it is our guiding principle,” said Nikhil, who also slammed Yogeshwar for his remarks.
“Ironically, even the victors seem restless. There is neither joy nor sincerity on their faces during the celebrations. They are preoccupied with mocking the defeated candidates and belittling the leaders of the opposite party. Their behaviour reflects a profound sense of insecurity and guilt, showing that it was not a victory of truth but one haunted by a guilty conscience,” taunted Nikhil.
“He is consumed by undermining the opposition and hurling insults at leaders instead of dedicating his win to the people of the constituency. Such conduct only diminishes the dignity of their victory. In my defeat, I did not spew venom against them, nor will I let such bitterness take root in me,” he added.
Calling Yogeshwar’s remarks as “arrogance” and “boastful” Nikhil said his claims of “emptying the JDS in just 15 days” shows moral decay.
“Does he (Yogeshwar) think our MLAs are mere commodities to be bought in the market or sheep to be auctioned at a slaughterhouse? Elected representatives, chosen by the people, are being treated as tradable objects. Is this the state of democracy in Karnataka today? Their party MPs take oath on the Constitution, read out the Preamble, and yet openly talk about poaching legislators. Does this align with the ideals of Dr B.R. Ambedkar’s Constitution? They are intoxicated by victory and arrogance. Our MLAs are bound to the party and the family by a relationship that is deep and it is not just a political affiliation. Our leaders and legislators share an emotional bond. Our MLAs are not political opportunists who switch sides for self-interest or monetary gain. We are not afraid of people who don’t mind betraying their supporters and their party for the sake of power,” ridiculed Nikhil, referring to Yogeshwar switching over from the BJP to the Congress to contest the bypolls.
Alleging the ruling Congress indulged in misuse of power and malpractice, Nikhil wondered if there should be a moment of introspection amidst all the victory celebrations.
“They deposited Rs 4,000 from the Gruha Lakshmi scheme into the women voters’ accounts just hours before voting. Is misusing government schemes for electoral purposes ethical? Karnataka’s finances are shrinking due to misuse of taxpayers money for political gains. People of Maharashtra have rejected such gross misuse by the government and people of Karnataka will soon follow suit,” said Nikhil.
