Karnataka LoP defends NDA's decision to field Nikhil Kumaraswamy in Channapatna bypoll against Congress' Yogeshwara

Bengaluru (Karnataka) [India], October 25 : Karnataka Leader of Opposition R Ashoka has defended the NDA's decision to field Nikhil Kumaraswamy as the candidate for the Channapatna Assembly bypoll, stating that Congress workers are upset since INDIA bloc candidate from Channapatna CP Yogeshwara, is not a 'Congressman'.
Ashok said, "Yogeshwara is not a Congressman so Congress party workers are very upset regarding this issue. Therefore people will vote for NDA. We gave the opportunity to Yogeshwara but he refused. We then decided (for Nikhil Kumaraswamy). It is a good decision."
Nikhil Kumaraswamy, who is also the JD (S) State Youth Unit President, will be competing against CP Yogeshwara, who joined the Congress on Wednesday after resigning as BJP MLC on Monday.
Notably, HD Kumaraswamy (HDK) defeated Yogeeshwara in the 2018 and 2023 assembly polls from the seat. The seat fell vacant after HDK won from the Mandya parliamentary segment in the last Lok Sabha polls. The announcement was made by former Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa during a press conference.
He also expressed confidence that the alliance would win all three seats in the upcoming by-polls.
"We have announced Nikhil Kumaraswamy as NDA candidate. We are going to win all three seats... We are announcing, with the blessings of the high command leaders, that we field him. We'll meet after we win 100 per cent...I don't speak about who left the party; we will do whatever is required to make sure Nikhil Kumaraswamy wins," he said.
Union Minister HD Kumaraswamy added, "Finally, we have decided, with the blessings of BS Yediyurappa and other leaders of both parties, to field Nikhil Kumaraswamy as a candidate."
"This was not my decision or opinion. Our party workers pressured him (to contest bypoll) and we took this decision," he said.
Following the announcement, Nikhil Kumaraswamy said, "I have been touring Panchayati Headquarters in my constituency and that is only because Kumaraswamy ji said that we should take all the workers and leaders into confidence. I have been doing my work as a Karyakarta and with the recent political developments that have taken place, the NDA has given me an opportunity. I have a lot of confidence in the Channapatna constituency people. They will bless me."
Voting for the first phase, covering 47 Assembly constituencies and the Wayanad parliamentary seat in Kerala will take place on November 13. The second phase will occur on November 20 for the Kedarnath Assembly constituency in Uttarakhand and the Nanded parliamentary seat in Maharashtra. The counting of votes will take place on November 23.