Ramanagara bypoll: BJP left red-faced as its candidate against Karnataka CM’s wife returns to Congress

Explaining the rationale behind withdrawing from the poll fray, Chandrashekhar alleged that Yeddyurappa did not answer his phone calls and that he was worried about his political future in the BJP.

“Saddened about the attitude of leaders and system that exists within the BJP, I have decided not to have any association with the party, I’m returning to my mother party Congress,” he said, with Bengaluru rural Congress MP D K Suresh seated next to him. Chandrashekhar, son of a senior Congress leader C M Lingappa, had joined BJP as the Congress decided to support the candidate of its ruling coalition partner, JD(S). Within days after joining the BJP, he was announced as the party’s candidate.

“By remaining in the Congress party, I will extend my support to the coalition candidate…” Chandrashekar said. This development just ahead of polls is being seen as senior Congress leader D K Shivakumar and his brother D K Suresh’s response to the BJP’s alleged attempts to weaken the coalition government by trying to “poach” Congress MLAs.

Karnataka BJP chief BS Yeddyurappa reacted to the development, alleging that Chandrashekhar has been brought for money by Shivakumar. “Shivakumar and brother (D K Suresh) have brought (him) back, by giving money. I got the information just now. God bless them,” he told reporters in Shivamogga.

By-election to Ramanagara was necessitated as it fell vacant after Kumaraswamy gave up the seat preferring Chennapatna, the other seat he had won in the May assembly polls. By-polls for three Lok Sabha constituencies- Shivamogga, Ballari and Mandya and two assembly constituencies, Ramanagara and Jamkhandi, will take place on November 3.

The counting of votes would be on November 6.

-With PTI