C P Yogeeshwara joins Congress ahead of Channapatna bypolls after quitting BJP
- In Reports
- 04:13 PM, Oct 23, 2024
- Myind Staff
In a significant political shift, former BJP leader and minister C P Yogeeshwara officially left the BJP on Wednesday and joined the Congress party. His switch comes as the November 13 Assembly bypolls from Channapatna approach, where he is anticipated to be the Congress candidate.
Yogeeshwara had previously resigned as an MLC on Monday. After stepping down from his membership in the BJP, he met with Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar, who also serves as the State Congress chief. Shivakumar welcomed Yogeeshwara into the party during a ceremony at the Congress state headquarters, attended by various party leaders, including Ministers Ramalinga Reddy, Krishna Byre Gowda, Cheluvarayaswamy, and Zameer Ahmed Khan.
The Channapatna constituency is gearing up for bypolls alongside Sandur and Shiggaon. This electoral event was triggered by the election of JD(S) state president and Union Minister H D Kumaraswamy to the Lok Sabha from Mandya, which left the seat vacant. The last date for filing nominations for the bypoll is October 25.
Yogeeshwara’s departure from the BJP and subsequent move to Congress follows a period of uncertainty regarding his candidacy. With the BJP deciding to cede the Channapatna seat to its NDA partner, JD(S), Yogeeshwara had appealed to leaders within the alliance to consider him for a ticket from the BJP. He had also expressed intentions to run as an independent if he did not receive a ticket.
There were rumours that the JD(S) considered fielding Yogeeshwara as a candidate, but he declined this opportunity. "Instead, he wanted Kumaraswamy to support him as BJP candidate, which was not acceptable to the latter and his party," revealed JD(S) sources.
Meanwhile, some members of Congress proposed that the party should nominate D K Suresh, the brother of Deputy Chief Minister Shivakumar and a former MP, for the Channapatna ticket. However, the Congress leadership ultimately chose Yogeeshwara, recognising his "popularity, clout, and winnability" in the constituency, which he has represented before.
The "D K Brothers" — Shivakumar and Suresh — are looking to regain Congress's influence in the Vokkaliga-dominated area, their stronghold, after a disappointing performance in the recent Lok Sabha elections. Suresh lost to a joint candidate from BJP and JD(S), Dr. C N Manjunath, Kumaraswamy’s brother-in-law, in the Bangalore Rural constituency, which includes Channapatna. According to JD(S) sources, Kumaraswamy was unwilling to relinquish the Channapatna seat, which he has won in both 2018 and 2023, to Yogeeshwara or the BJP. Historically, Yogeeshwara has represented the Channapatna seat as both an independent and a member of various parties, including Congress and BJP.
Yogeeshwara’s transition to Congress is expected to have a notable impact on the upcoming bypolls, potentially reshaping the political landscape in the constituency.
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