As three assembly seats go to bypolls, Channapatna in focus
Voters in Karnataka will determine the fate of three key assembly seats on Wednesday, as Channapatna, Shiggaon, and Sandur constituencies prepare for bypolls.
Voters in Karnataka will determine the fate of three key assembly seats on Wednesday, as Channapatna, Shiggaon, and Sandur constituencies prepare for bypolls.
More than 700,000 voters are eligible to cast their ballots across 770 polling stations, with Channapatna being the race to watch. Here, HD Kumaraswamy’s son, Nikhil Kumaraswamy, and Congress’s CP Yogeshwara go head-to-head.
The by-elections in these constituencies were triggered after three seats, including Channapatna, were left open as JD(S) leader HD Kumaraswamy, Shiggaon by ex-CM Basavaraj Bommai, and Sandur by Congress’s E Tukaram were appointed as Union ministers.
According to an official, security has been tightened across all three constituencies for a smooth voting process, with Channapatna holding 31 candidates, the most among the three seats.
Nikhil Kumaraswamy’s battle in Channapatna is especially significant as he seeks to revive his family’s political influence following previous election losses. His opponent, Yogeshwara, a five-time MLA who left the BJP to join Congress, has strong local roots, creating a high-stakes competition. Yogeshwara’s switch to Congress after being passed over for a JD(S) ticket also stirred tension in Channapatna, adding complexity to the contest.
Winning Channapatna is vital for Congress, particularly for deputy chief minister DK Shivakumar and his brother DK Suresh, who are aiming to strengthen their presence in Ramanagara district. Congress is counting on Yogeshwara to help them secure this foothold in the Vokkaliga-dominated region, where Kumaraswamy’s family also has deep roots.
The bypoll here is not only about electing NDA’s Nikhil Kumaraswamy or Congress’s CP Yogeshwar; it’s also a critical contest to determine who wields influence over the Vokkaliga community in the region — Union minister HD Kumaraswamy or deputy chief minister DK Shivakumar.
This election marks a chance for Shivakumar to retaliate for his brother DK Suresh’s defeat in Bangalore Rural. Suresh lost to Kumaraswamy’s brother-in-law, Dr CN Manjunath, who ran as a BJP candidate in the last Lok Sabha election, intensifying the rivalry between the two political families.
During the campaign, Congress leaders aggressively targeted Kumaraswamy, framing him as the obstacle who prevented Yogeshwar from running on an NDA ticket. They alleged that the Union minister influenced the nomination process to clear the way for his son, Nikhil. On the other side, Yogeshwar faces backlash from BJP and JD(S) supporters alike, who view his party switch as an act of “betrayal” after years of serving in prominent roles.
The bypoll result in Channapatna could shift the power dynamics within the Vokkaliga heartland, with both Kumaraswamy and Shivakumar seeking to strengthen their family’s political legacy and regional standing.
In Shiggaon, the BJP is placing its bets on Bharath Bommai, son of Basavaraj Bommai, in a race against Congress’s Yasir Ahmed Khan Pathan. Pathan, who is expected to gain minority and Dalit support, aims to reclaim the seat that Congress last held in 1994. The BJP, however, is counting on the Lingayat and other upper-class votes. Both parties have deployed their top leaders, including Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and former CM BS Yediyurappa, to energise their campaigns.
Sandur features another close battle as Congress’s E Annapurna, wife of MP E Tukaram, goes up against BJP’s Bangaru Hanumanthu. This seat, with Congress’s minority voter base and BJP’s ST Morcha appeal, reflects the nuanced support networks within Karnataka’s political landscape.
With major political figures like chief minister Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar campaigning intensively in Shiggaon, stakes are particularly high for Congress as it looks to hold ground amid opposition pressure over allegations in the Mysore Urban Development Authority (Muda) land allotment case and other scandals. For BJP, success in these bypolls could quiet recent intra-party dissent.
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