Consensus candidate likely for Chamundeshwari bypoll: Yediyurappa

Bangalore, Nov 13 (UNI) Ruling coalition partners in Karnataka, the Janata Dal (Secular) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), will in a couple of days name a common candidate to take on former Deputy Chief Minister Siddaramaiah of the Congress in the Chamundeshwari Assembly byelection, scheduled for December four.

Speaking to newspersons here today, Deputy Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa said the ultimate aim of the two parties was to defeat the Congress.

He would hold talks with Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy later in the day to hammer out a solution to the issue, which had created confusion with certain leaders insisting that both the parties would field separate candidates.

''I will meet Mr Kumaraswamy to solve this issue. Consensus will be arrived at as there is cohesion between the two parties. This is evident from Mr Kumaraswamy's statement that he will agree to a BJP nominee if we choose a formidable candidate. This proves the amity between the two parties,'' Mr Yediyurappa said.

Mr Siddaramaiah, who had won from this segment, which formed a part of Mysore city, on a JD(S) ticket last time, later resigned the seat to join the Congress, necessitating the bypoll.

UNI RS GD SKB1839