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Congress may field DK Suresh for Channapatna bypoll
The Congress will reveal its candidate for the high-stakes Channapatna by-election within the next four to five days, KPCC working president Tanveer Sait said
The Congress will reveal its candidate for the high-stakes Channapatna by-election within the next four to five days, KPCC working president and Narasimharaja MLA Tanveer Sait on Thursday said while pointing out the growing pressure on former MP DK Suresh to be fielded as the candidate.
“We feel DK Suresh’s continuation in politics is essential, and there is a considerable pressure on him to take on the BJP and JD(S) alliance candidate,” Sait said. He added that the party will also consider public sentiment in the constituency before making a final decision. DK Siresh is the brother of deputy chief minister DK Shivakumar
The by-elections, scheduled for November 13, has generated significant interest, especially following earlier remarks from Shivakumar expressing his desire to have one of his family members to contest from Channapatna. However, Sait clarified that the party will make decisions based on ground realities.
In preparation for the bypolls in Channapatna, Sandur, and Shiggaon, Sait revealed that the Congress has deployed observers to assess the situation in each constituency. He encouraged interested candidates to submit applications for consideration, noting that the final decision will rest with the party leadership.
Channapatna lies in the Vokkaliga-dominated Bengaluru South district, a political stronghold for both Shivakumar and Kumaraswamy. The district is part of the Bengaluru Rural Lok Sabha constituency, where Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidate and Kumaraswamy’s brother-in-law, Dr CN Manjunath, recently defeated Suresh. Shivakumar is reportedly eager to avenge this loss.
Meanwhile, discussions between Congress general secretary (organisation) KC Venugopal, Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah, and deputy CM Shivakumar have further fuelled speculation. The trio met on Wednesday to discuss various political issues ahead of the bypolls.
“Had a discussion today with AICC General Secretary (Organisation) and dear friend, @kcvenugopalmp, during his visit. Appreciative of the insights and continued support in shaping our collective efforts,” Siddaramaiah posted on X.
Shivakumar also shared details of the meeting, posting, “Had a purposeful meeting with AICC General Secretary Shri. @kcvenugopalmp alongside CM Shri. @siddaramaiah at the CM residence today, as we spoke at length about various regional and national issues.”
According to reports, Venugopal’s visit was not only to discuss bypoll strategies but also to address internal leadership concerns. The Congress high command, through Venugopal, reportedly expressed displeasure over recent statements by ministers and separate meetings held by some party members.
Earlier, Shivakumar mentioned that Venugopal, who chairs the Parliament’s public accounts committee (PAC), was visiting Bengaluru for a PAC-related meeting but would meet with party leaders later in the evening.
On the Janata Dal (Secular) front, party state president HD Kumaraswamy said a decision on their candidate for Channapatna will be announced soon to avoid confusion. Asked if his son Nikhil Kumaraswamy would be in the running, he said, “We haven’t decided yet. Our goal is to win the seat, whether the candidate is from the BJP or the JD(S).”
With all parties gearing up for the November by-elections, the race for Channapatna remains a focal point.
