Karnataka by-polls: Cong may announce candidates today, says Siddaramaiah

While BJP has already announced its candidates for Sandur and Shiggaon segments, Congress has ceded high profile Channapatna seat to its alliance partner JD(S), which is yet to announce its candidate

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Tuesday said the ruling Congress has made all necessary preparations for the November 13 Assembly by-polls in three segments in the state, and the candidates are likely to be announced later in the day.

He said, while it has been decided to give Sandur ticket to Bellary MP E Tukaram's wife Annapurna, candidates for Shiggaon and Channapatna segments will be decided by the party.

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.

 

"We have made all the preparations (for bypolls), probably candidates may be announced today. The Sandur candidate has been decided, we will give the ticket to Tukaram's wife. Candidates for Shiggaon and Channapatna are likely to be decided today," Siddaramaiah told reporters here.

While the BJP has already announced its candidates for Sandur and Shiggaon segments, the party has ceded the high profile Channapatna seat to its alliance partner JD(S), which is yet to announce its candidate.

To a question on demands to give Channapatna ticket to Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar's brother and former Congress MP from Bangalore Rural D K Suresh, the CM said, "his name is also there, let's see what will be decided."

Both Shivakumar and Suresh have said that there is pressure on them to field the latter as Congress candidate from Channapatna.

"D K Brothers" -- Shivakumar and Suresh -- are hoping to regain their lost grounds in the Vokkaliga dominated region, after the Lok Sabha poll debacle in which Suresh lost to BJP-JD(S) joint candidate and Kumaraswamy's brother-in-law Dr C N Manjunath in Bangalore Rural Lok Sabha segment, under which the Channapatna Assembly seat comes.

Asked about speculations that BJP leader C P Yogeeshwara, who resigned as MLC on Monday, joining Congress and contesting from Channapatna, Siddaramaiah said, "I haven't spoken to him. Our president (state Congress president Shivakumar) is from Channapatna region, let's see what he decides. I have said the ticket should be given to a suitable candidate. He will discuss and decide."

Further responding to a question, will Congress induct Yogeeshwara into the party, he said, "whoever comes accepting the Congress' ideology, we will take them in."

After resigning, Yogeeshwara on Monday had not ruled out chances of him joining Congress. "....I have not contacted anyone (from Congress) so far and there is no such intention. But I can't say what will happen tomorrow," he said.

With the BJP ceding Channapatana seat to alliance partner JD(S), the actor-turned-politician had also said he plans to contest as an independent, and would take a final call, after consulting his supporters and workers. He even appealed to BJP-JD(S) leaders to consider giving him a ticket from the saffron party.

There were plans to field Yogeeshwara on a JD(S) ticket, but he seemed to be not interested in it, and instead wanted Kumaraswamy to support him as BJP candidate, which was not acceptable to the latter and his party, party sources said.

Regarding relief for those affected by rains in Bengaluru and other parts of the state, the CM said, "we will start the relief work, preparations have been made.