Political parties yet to finalise candidates for bypolls being held amidst ongoing high decibel tussle

Amidst a high decibel slugfest between the Congress and Opposition NDA constituents BJP and Janata Dal (Secular) over corruption issues in the last couple of months, the Channapatna, Shiggaon, and Sandur Assembly constituencies will head into the much-awaited byelections on November 13.

Amidst a high decibel slugfest between the Congress and Opposition NDA constituents BJP and Janata Dal (Secular) over corruption issues in the last couple of months, the Channapatna, Shiggaon, and Sandur Assembly constituencies will head into the much-awaited byelections on November 13.

With less than a month away, the Congress and NDA are yet to finalise their candidates for the byelections that is being seen as a kind of referendum on the Congress government’s performance. The Congress came to power with a thumping majority of 135 seats but since then has been under pressure over allocation to development works in the light of the huge allocation made towards the five guarantees promised before elections. While the government has so far desisted from holding taluk and zilla panchayat elections that could test its popularity, the Congress improved its tally in Lok Sabha from 1 in 2019 to 9 in 2024.

Of the three, NDA held two seats and the Congress held one. The byelections have been necessitated owing to resignations of former Chief Ministers H.D. Kumaraswamy and Basavaraj Bommai from Channapatna and Shiggaon, respectively, and E. Thukaram from Sandur, following their election to the Lok Sabha.

The byelection for Channapatna seat has emerged as a prestige battle between Mr. Kumaraswamy and Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar - both jostling for Vokkaliga leadership. The constituency in Old Mysuru region is witnessing a close battle as Mr. Shivakumar is being seen as the one trying to redeem his status in the Vokkaliga heartland after facing a drubbing in the Lok Sabha polls, including the defeat of his brother D.K. Suresh from Bengaluru Rural Lok Sabha constituency. Mr. Shivakumar has so far made multiple trips to the seat to interact and receive grievances from the public, and has been seeking votes for himself. Mr. Suresh is among the frontrunner for ticket, Congress insiders say.

The JD(S), which has staked claim for the seat in the NDA, is also facing issues with the BJP MLC and five-time MLA C.P. Yogeshwar lobbying hard to get ticket. Sources in the regional party claim that the BJP Central leadership has cleared the seat for the JD(S), which will choose its candidate. The move of Mr. Yogeshwar, who is seen as a party-hopper and likely to affect the JD(S)‘s fortunes, is being watched closely. Despite pressure from party insiders, Nikhil Kumaraswamy, son of Mr. Kumaraswamy, has so far said he would not contest.

In Shiggaon, the name of Bharath Bommai, son of former Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai, is being speculated in the BJP along with the name of former Minister Murugesh Nirani, who lost from Bilagi in the May 2023 Assembly elections. With Panchamsali Lingayats having a say in Shiggaon, the former Minister hailing from the community, is hoping to resurrect his political career. As many as 57 aspirants have applied in the BJP and the Congress has 18 aspirants.

The return of BJP’s legislator from Gangavati G. Janardhana Reddy, who faces cases of illegal mining, to Ballari district after 13 years has made the byelection to Sandur in the iron ore mining district interesting. Congress sources say that Mr. Tukaram’s wife and daughter are the frontrunners among the aspirants that also includes a former zilla panchayat member.