Bengaluru, June 27 (IANS): Leader of Opposition in the Karnataka Assembly R. Ashoka claimed on Thursday that the BJP will ensure the defeat of Deputy CM D. K. Shivakumar or his brother D. K. Suresh, whosoever contests the Channapatna Assembly bypoll.

This statement assumes significance as Shivakumar had recently hinted that he might contest the election from this seat to avenge the defeat of his brother Suresh in the Bangalore Rural Lok Sabha seat at the hands of former PM H.D. Deve Gowda's son-in-law C. N. Manjunath.

The Channapatna Assembly seat was previously represented by Union Minister for Heavy Industries and Steel H.D. Kumaraswamy.

Speaking to reporters in Bengaluru, Ashoka stated that the BJP and JD(S) are fielding a consensus candidate for the seat.

Talks are on with the Union Minister Kumaraswamy, Ashoka added.

"Kumaraswamy has said that whoever is capable of combating money power and winning should be selected," Ashoka said.

"Shivakumar had not gone to Channapatna for 20 years. Now, he is enacting a drama. In the last Assembly election, the Congress got just 20,000 votes. The BJP and JD(S) candidates together received more than one lakh votes in the constituency. Let Shivakumar visit Channapatna as many times as he can," Ashoka said.

"The people must teach them a lesson for rising inflation. In the by-election, if the people teach Congress a lesson, the prices of essential commodities will come down," he claimed.