Have not ceded Channapatna to BJP: Kumaraswamy

Bengaluru: Union minister and JD(S) state president HD Kumaraswamy Thursday denied reports that the party had agreed to allow BJP to contest the Channapatna assembly segment in exchange for the saffron party's support in the Lok Sabha elections from Mandya. Kumaraswamy said no such agreement was reached with former minister CP Yogeshwar, who is keen on contesting from Channapatna, or any BJP member.
"With the bypoll approaching, it's important to clarify what actually transpired between BJP national brass and me.People deserve to know the truth," he said, while admitting no decision has been made on a candidate. "Functionaries from both parties at the state and central level will make the final call on who will contest," he said.
Amid speculation that his brother-in-law, Dr CN Manjunath, was given the ticket to contest the Lok Sabha polls from Bengaluru Rural in exchange for a promise that Yogeshwar would get the ticket for Channapatna, Kumaraswamy pointed to the influence of Union home minister Amit Shah. "I had publicly backed Yogeshwar's candidacy for Bengaluru Rural, but Shah was adamant on Dr Manjunath contesting from the seat and, ultimately, I had to give in to Shah's wishes," he said.