Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar has not ruled out the possibility of contesting the upcoming Channapatna Assembly bypoll. As he prepared for a visit to Channapatna, Shivakumar expressed his deep connection to Channapatna and stated that he would abide by the decisions of his party and the voters.
"Channapatna is in my heart. Channapatna is also the place that gave me political birth," said Shivakumar, who also serves as the state Congress chief. His comments come ahead of his visit to the town in Ramanagara district, where the bypoll is necessitated by JD(S) leader H.D. Kumaraswamy’s election to the Lok Sabha.
The Election Commission has yet to announce the schedule for the bypoll. Reflecting on his political history, Shivakumar as per PTI said, "Channapatna was also part of Sathanur earlier (the erstwhile segment represented by Shivakumar). I love Channapatna, I want to help Channapatna. I want to change Channapatna."
When asked about the possibility of his brother, former MP D.K. Suresh, contesting from Channapatna, Shivakumar replied, "That is not decided. More or less, I'm asking the votes for myself." This statement comes amidst speculation that Shivakumar may enter the fray to avenge his brother’s recent defeat in the Bangalore Rural Lok Sabha segment and to reassert his influence in the region, as per the report.
Political insiders suggest that if Shivakumar contests and wins from Channapatna, he might vacate his current seat in the Kanakapura Assembly for Suresh. Both constituencies are part of the Vokkaliga-dominated Ramanagara district, which is under the Bangalore Rural Lok Sabha segment. This area recently saw Kumaraswamy's brother-in-law, Dr. C.N. Manjunath, win as a BJP candidate, defeating Suresh as part of an arrangement between BJP and JD(S).