From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network

Bengaluru, Oct 21: Deputy Chief Minister and KPCC Chief D K Shivakumar ridiculed his JDS rival, Union Minister H D Kumaraswamy, by pointing at his plight to ask BJP to contest on its symbol from Channapatna in the forthcoming assembly by-election.

“I am not stupid to believe that JDS is weak. But I never imagined that JDS leader Kumaraswamy is so weak as to ask others to contest on its party symbol,” he said speaking to media persons near his residence on Monday.

There are still three-four days for filing nominations, he said pointing out that he and Chief Minister Siddaramaiah have already held discussions with ministers and also party leaders.

“We have already finalised the names of the candidates for the three by elections to the assembly sears and the list has been sent to Delhi. The party high command will take a final decision,” he said refusing to indicate whether the party has suggested a single person for each of the three seats or more names.

Shivakumar mentioned that Channapatna is a stronghold of JDS and the by-election has been necessitated following the resignation by its sitting MLA Kumaraswamy, who had won from Mandya in the Lok Sabha polls.

“We don’t consider JDS as weak in Channapatna. But there are media reports suggesting that JDS is asking BJP to field its candidate and fight the election on its symbol. If that happens, JDS will lose its base,” he said pointing out that Kumaraswamy’s brother-in-law Dr C N Manjunath had already contested on BJP symbol from Bengaluru Rural Lok Sabha seat.

At the same time, he attacked Kumaraswamy for not being consistent in his stand and alleged that the latter was changing his stance every now and then causing confusion to his own partymen. “We have decided not to take him seriously,” he said.

The KPCC Chief refused to divulge whether his brother D K Suresh is under pressure to contest from Channapatna.

“The voters of Channapatna had voted heavily in favour Congress in the Lok Sabha polls but Suresh had lost from Bengaluru Rural by a huge margin, which has come as big shock for us, from which we are yet to recover,” he said and made it clear that party was determined to win the by-election.

Shivakumar asserted that he had not contacted BJP MLC and former minister C P Yogeshwar, who is a strong contender for the Channapatna seat. “I have met him on Independence Day celebrations as per protocol since he is an MLC. Congress party has no intention of asking leaders from other parties to join and contest on its symbol,” he said and refused to comment on internal affairs of BJP or JDS.