Bengaluru: The notification for by-elections in three Karnataka Assembly constituencies will be issued on October 18, and the filing of nominations will begin on Friday.

With the by-elections approaching, the political strategies of the ruling Congress and the opposition alliance (BJP-JD(S)) have stirred much interest. Channapatna, in particular, has become a prestigious battle for the political parties, with no party revealing its candidates yet. There is speculation that last-minute surprise candidates could emerge, with the possibility of D.K. Suresh from Congress and Anitha Kumaraswamy from the JD(S)-BJP alliance being floated as contenders.

Curious Moves from Leaders

On one hand, Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar has hinted that he might contest, while Union Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy has created a stir by suggesting he could also run for the seat if Shivakumar does.

Both leaders have taken this by-election as a matter of personal prestige.

Kumaraswamy is not willing to concede the seat he had won earlier to the Congress, while Shivakumar is determined to ensure Congress’s victory at all costs. However, the candidate selection remains under wraps.

Confusion in JD(S)

H.D. Kumaraswamy, the state president of JD(S) and a Union Minister, is seen as wielding considerable influence. Although JD(S) had initially hinted at Jayamuthu’s candidacy, Nikhil Kumaraswamy, the president of JD(S) Youth Wing, is now considered the frontrunner.

There is also a possibility that Anitha Kumaraswamy could contest at the last minute, which wouldn’t come as a surprise. Having faced defeats in both the Assembly and Lok Sabha elections, there is confusion over whether Nikhil should contest again.

Despite conducting membership drives and a series of meetings, Nikhil has kept a low profile. Kumaraswamy is weighing the option of fielding his wife Anitha instead, given the Congress’s strategic moves and internal BJP tensions.

BJP and JD(S) Alliance

Despite the alliance between BJP and JD(S), tensions have arisen over the candidacy. BJP ticket aspirant C.P. Yogeshwar seems to be the frontrunner for the seat, but there is a lack of consensus within the alliance. BJP leaders have backed Yogeshwar, but there is concern within JD(S) that if Yogeshwar decides to contest independently, he could receive covert support from within the BJP, which could lead to the loss of the seat for the alliance.

Key Dates:

• Notification for by-elections will be issued today (October 18).
• Nomination filing will begin today and end on October 25.
• Scrutiny of nominations will be on October 28.
• Withdrawal of nominations can be done until October 30.
• Voting will take place on November 13, and counting on November 23.

Special Ritual for D.K. Suresh’s Victory

Former MLA M.C. Ashwath conducted a special ‘Chandika Yaga’ at Kollur Mookambika Temple, praying for the victory of D.K. Suresh in Channapatna.

“We have discussed the candidates for Shiggaon, Sandur, and Channapatna constituencies with K.C. Venugopal. The party is well-prepared to ensure the victory of its candidates,” stated Chief Minister Siddaramaiah.

“NDA is my family. The alliance will field a candidate, and we will discuss everything on the alliance platform. It is my clear opinion that the NDA candidate must win,” said Union Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy.