From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network

Bengaluru, Aug 26: The candidate from BJP-JDS combine in the Channapatna assembly by-election will be decided by the high command in Delhi, said JDS Yuva Morcha leader Nikhil Kumaraswamy, who claimed that 'Channapata is, was and will always be JDS stronghold'.

Speaking to media persons at the JDS party office, he said his father and Union Minister H D Kumaraswamy had won from Channapatna twice and declared that he will work for the success of the NDA candidate irrespective of the party label.

He, however, made it clear that he was not interested in contensting from Channapatna. “My focus is to ensure victory of the NDA candidate,” he said.

The BJP-JDS leaders will shortly announce candidates for the assembly by-elections from Sandur, Shiggaon and Channaptna. “We are waiting for the Election Commission to announce the dates,” he said.

Nikhil said there is no confusion within JDS or BJP regarding the candidates. At the same time, he asserted that Channapatna is the bastion of JDS and said even an ordinary worker would win with a margin of 50,000 to 60,000 votes. “While JDS has a firm base in Channapatna, the BJP MLC and former minister C P Yogeshwar also has a huge following. He is also a strong aspirant,” he said and declared that Congress party has no hold at all.

He said his father H D Kumaraswamy will not be affected by the Congress government’s moves to seek the Governor’s nod for prosecution in the alleged Mining Scam and mentioned that his father was not involved at all.

In the morning, Union Industry Minister Kumaraswamy along with his wife Anita Kumaraswaky visited the ISCON temple at Vasanthapura in Bengaluru.