Bengaluru: Nikhil Kumaraswamy, a leader of the Janata Dal (Secular) and the National Democratic Alliance’s candidate for Channapatna, spoke out on Sunday against his opponent, C P Yogeshwar. He said that “one man’s decision” had brought him back into electoral politics after he had taken a break.
Nikhil, the son of former Karnataka Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy and grandson of former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda, is in a tight race with Congress candidate C P Yogeshwar for the upcoming by-election on November 13.
At a campaign event, Nikhil remarked, “Even though the Congress and JD(S) were in an alliance government in 2019, some Congress leaders conspired to defeat me and former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda in the Lok Sabha elections. I still feel the pain from that political conspiracy.”
He added, “The development work done by former PM Deve Gowda and former CM H D Kumaraswamy will stand by me. I hope the voters will support a young person who wants to be their voice.”
Arkalgud JD(S) MLA A Manju praised the voters of Channapatna, calling them “God-like.” He recalled that H D Kumaraswamy won the seat in 2023 despite limited campaigning time.
C P Yogeshwar, a five-time former MLA from Channapatna who recently left the BJP to join the Congress, said he didn’t switch parties for personal gain. “I changed sides for the development of Channapatna,” he stated.
Former Bangalore Rural MP D K Suresh, speaking in support of Yogeshwar, said that Karnataka is the only state from Kashmir to Kanyakumari that has implemented the five guarantees promised by the Congress. He credited Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar for fulfilling these commitments.
