'BJP, JDS leaders helped...': DK Shivakumar's big claim on Nikhil Kumaraswamy's defeat in Channapatna

Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar on Sunday suggested internal strife within the BJP and the JD(S) contributed to the defeat of JD(S) candidate Nikhil Kumaraswamy in the Channapatna assembly bypoll.

Congress' CP Yogeeshwara emerged victorious in Channapatna, defeating Nikhil Kumaraswamy, the NDA candidate, by a significant margin of 25,413 votes. The Congress also swept the bypolls in Karnataka’s Sandur and Shiggaon constituencies, marking a clean sweep in the three seats.  

Nikhil, son of Union Minister HD Kumaraswamy and grandson of former Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda, lost in the first major electoral contest for the JD(S) after it joined the BJP-led NDA in September 2023.  

Speaking on the Congress' win in Channapatna, Shivakumar claimed that leaders from the BJP and the JD(S) had played a role in their candidate's success. "Many people from across the parties have helped us in this election (Channapatna). Congress had only 16,000 votes in the previous assembly election. It increased in the Lok Sabha election," Shivakumar said.  

"If the BJP and the JD(S) leaders had not supported us directly or indirectly, we wouldn’t have got so many votes. I congratulate them," he further said. "The JD(S), which had 19 seats in the Karnataka Assembly, has now been reduced to 18."  

Shivakumar credited the electorate for their support and highlighted the mandate as a call for development in the Channapatna constituency.  

Leader of Opposition R Ashoka, however, fired back and accused Shivakumar of trying to create discord between the BJP and the JD(S). "Shivakumar should not try to pitch us (BJP and JD-S) against each other," Ashoka said in Mandya's Srirangapatna.  

Ashoka questioned Shivakumar about his brother and Congress leader DK Suresh's defeat in the 2024 Lok Sabha election from Bengaluru Rural. "Who is responsible for DK Suresh's defeat? Wasn't it Congress? Wasn't it Siddaramaiah? Will he (Shivakumar) accept it? If he accepts, then I will speak on it," the BJP leader asked.  

Ashoka also alleged that the Congress had no suitable candidate for Channapatna and had to bring in Yogeeshwara from the BJP. "The Congress could not get a candidate for Channapatna and poached one from the BJP. Don’t you have a Congress worker in Channapatna?" he questioned.  

Yogeeshwara had resigned from the BJP and joined the Congress ahead of the bypoll.