Karnataka Election 2023: HDK to fight from Channapatna

Putting an end to rumours that he will contest from two seats, former Karnataka Chief Minister and Janata Dal-Secular (JDS) leader H D Kumaraswamy said he has no plans to contest from two and accused the Congress and the BJP of spreading lies and misleading his supporters.

Kumaraswamy will be contesting from Channapatna seat this time for a second consecutive term. JD(S) has already announced the first list of 93 candidates for the assembly polls.

"I will be contesting from Channapatna, and nowhere else. There is no question of contesting from a second constituency as claimed by my detractors," Kumaraswamy clarified on March 21 in the presence of JD(S) MLAs G.T. Deve Gowda and S.R. Mahesh.

Earlier it was reported that he will contest from only one seat in Channapatna and has given up the Ramanagara seat to his son, Nikhil Kumaraswamy. Nikhil lost the 2019 Lok Sabha poll from the party bastion of Mandya to BJP-backed independent candidate Sumalatha Ambareesh, an actor-turned-politician. But Anitha Kumaraswamy announced his candidacy from Ramanagara a few days ago at the Pancharatna yatra.

In 2018, Kumaraswamy contested from Ramanagara and Channapatnam and won both constituencies. After the result, he resigned as Ramanagara MLA. Anita Kumaraswamy was elected as an MLA in the by-election held later.

Meanwhile, C P Yogeshwar of the BJP is once again contesting from Channapatna constituency while H M Revanna has been named as a candidate from Cogress. In the 2013, Yogeshwar had won this seat on an SP ticket. A few months back he joined the BJP and was given a ticket from this constituency.

It may be recalled that Kumaraswamy had earlier said the 2028 election will be his last assembly election, though he would remain active in politics.