Tussle Amid BJP and Its Alliance JD(S) at the Channapatna Bypoll Seat for Candidate Selection

Alongside polls in Maharashtra, bypolls to three assembly seats of Karnataka, i.e., Channapatna, Shiggaon, and Sandur, are likely to be announced soon. Among these three seats, the Channapatna seat is the most prevailing seat where tension is mounting day by day for both parties, i.e., BJP and its National Democratic Alliance (NDA) partner JD(S). These two parties refused to back down on candidate selection and hence BJP is serious about breaking the ties with JD(S) calling the alliance a liability for the saffron party. JD(S) is eager to field a candidate pointing toward Union Minister HD Kumaraswamy who was the MLA before he vacated the seat after winning the Lok Sabha polls recently. Kumaraswamy hence is interested in fielding his son Nikhil Kumaraswamy from the seat. However, the saffron party wants to field CP Yogeshwar an MLC as their candidate who won the seat five times in the past.

Union Minister and JDS state chief HD Kumaraswamy expressed his dissatisfaction against Yogeshwara. BJP-JD(S) allies are now at a crossroads. As per speculations CP Yogeshwar may contest on a Congress ticket if BJP fails to agree JD(S) to give up the seat. Yogeshwara is not confident of getting the BJP ticket and has expressed his readiness to contest as a JDS candidate or even as an independent on a BSP ticket, according to sources.  Yogeshwar said, “If a situation comes, I may contest independently as people’s support is there with me. I am not thinking of joining Congress at present.”Here, Kumaraswamy indicated that JD(S) can negotiate with the saffron party to defend the alliance. He said, “The candidate selection will be finalized after talking with the BJP functionaries. And, we have kept all options open for the sake of our alliance.”