‘I will be the candidate from Channapatna Constituency,’ says D.K. Shivakumar

Mysuru: Stating that the Congress Government has taken the Channapatna Assembly Constituency very seriously, which is going to the by-polls shortly, Deputy Chief Minister (Dy.CM) and KPCC President D.K. Shivakumar said that the party is getting its acts right ahead of the by-polls.

Speaking to press persons at a private hotel here yesterday, Shivakumar  said, “The Congress had suffered a setback in the Lok Sabha polls. But now, the party is strengthening its base and I hope that the people will support Congress in the by-polls taking into consideration the works done by the Congress Government.”

Commenting on reports that the BJP-JD(S) combine may field Nikhil Kumaraswamy from Channapatna, he said that the Congress was not bothered about the Opposition candidate. Asserting that the by-polls are not individual-based, he said that the polls will be fought on                      ideologies of parties.

Asserting that he would be the Congress candidate for Channapatna by-polls, which seat has fallen vacant following the election of H.D. Kumaraswamy as MP, he maintained that the Congress is the front runner in the by-polls.

Referring to speculations on change of leadership in the State, the Dy.CM said that Siddaramaiah would be the Chief Minister for the next 10 years.

Stating that the BJP would keep on raising speculations on change of leadership, Shivakumar said that the BJP was frustrated with the support of the people for the Congress.