From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network
Bengaluru, Oct 19: Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar has made it clear that he would be the candidate from Channapatna for the by-election irrespective of the person entering the fray on the Congress ticket. “I have informed the party leaders and workers to work for the success of the
Congress candidate in the by-election,” he said while talking to media persons in Bengaluru on Saturday after a meeting with party leaders and workers on selection of the candidate for the by-poll.
When asked about the views of the Congress workers from Channapatna,Shivakumar said: “They are all my people. I have told them to work for the Congress candidate as if I am the candidate.”The KPCC chief said the opposition JD(S) and BJP were very frustrated andunsure. “I am told that JD(S) wants to give up the seat. I don’t whether this is true ornot. Let them do what they want. We want to win the seat,” he said.
Shivakumar refused to divulge the Congress strategy and indicate whether a leader from NDA would become the “surprise” candidate without directly mentioning the name of BJP MLC C P Yogeshwar, who is reportedly firm on entering the fray as an independent if he is denied the BJP-JD(S) ticket.
“We have won from Ramanagara, which was held by former prime minister Deve Gowda when he went to Delhi. So there is no need to worry or panic. We can win even by fielding an ordinary worker,” he said. When asked if his brother D K Suresh, who had lost in the Bengaluru Rural Lok
Sabha constituency, would be chosen as there is a demand from local workers, the deputy chief minister said: “People are pressing. But it is party’s decision. We have allotted responsibilities to him and he has his own calculations.”
Replying to a question on whether Suresh will be persuaded to enter the fray, he made it clear that there was no question of persuading anybody. “When the party decides on the candidate, all would accept. It doesn’t matter who is the candidate. It is the Congress party which decides.”