Newsmaker | CP Yogeshwara, the eternal party hopper: Congress to BJP and back, with a D K Shivakumar touch

Ahead of the forthcoming polls, Yogeshwara was expecting the BJP to tract him. But the BJP-JD(S)’s new-found bonhomie due to the fact that of the confederation meant a changed script connected the ground. Yogeshwara had to negociate with aged rival and JD(S) person H D Kumaraswamy whose resignation to contention arsenic the Mandya MP necessitated the bypoll.

For a moment, things did look up for Yogeshwara. As per immoderate sources, Kumaraswamy was good with fielding Yogeshwara arsenic the alliance’s associated candidate.

As per immoderate sources, a gathering was besides held wherever the anticipation of Yogeshwara contesting connected a JD(S) summons was discussed. But instantly after, the sources said, determination was speech of the JD(S) being keen connected fielding Kumaraswamy’s lad and JD(S) younker helping president Nikhil Kumaraswamy from the seat.

Amidst this, a wary Yogeshwara is learnt to person reached retired to the Congress astatine the past minute.

The erstwhile minister, sources said, feared a decision successful Channapatna due to the fact that of an “internal understanding” among leaders. The sources were alluding to the concern aft the 2018 Assembly polls. At the time, Kumaraswamy had contested some the Ramanagara and Channapatna seats and yet retained the latter, reportedly connected the proposal of Congress person and present Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar. The statement was to guarantee that Yogeshwara — a rival of Shivakumar — did not get a changeable to contention the bypoll from Channapatna if Kumaraswamy vacated the seat.

The tables, however, look to person turned now, with Shivakumar welcoming Yogeshwara to the Congress connected Thursday.

DK’s plan

Shivakumar, who is besides the KPCC chief, has gone each guns blazing implicit the past fewer months to wrest the Channapatna spot from JD(S), the lone spot successful Ramanagara territory won by the enactment successful the 2023 Assembly polls.

As Yogeshwara approached Shivakumar and different Congress leaders for a ticket, the authorities Congress enactment is said to person sensed the benefits of fielding him particularly against a comparatively inexperienced Nikhil.

In the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, Nikhil had mislaid from Mandya against Independent campaigner Sumalatha. In the 2023 Assembly polls, helium mislaid the Ramanagara spot to Iqbal Hussain of the Congress.

Shivakumar’s outreach programme to woo voters, coupled with Yogeshwara’s clout are the 2 things the Congress seems to beryllium relying on.

Changing colours

After his archetypal triumph from Channapatna arsenic an Independent successful 1999, Yogeshwara archetypal recovered a location successful the Congress earlier the elections successful 2004. He retained Channapatna defeating M C Ashwath of the JD(S) and repeated the feat successful the pursuing elections successful 2008.

In 2009, helium made a determination to the BJP during what is dubbed arsenic the archetypal “Operation Lotus” successful Karnataka nether B S Yediyurappa’s tenure arsenic Chief Minister.

His spot fell vacant, necessitating a bypoll. Yogeshwara contested the aforesaid connected a BJP ticket, defeating the JD(S)’s I Nagaraju by 18,000 votes. Following this, helium was fixed complaint of the Forest Ministry nether Yediyurappa.

Ahead of the 2013 Assembly polls, Yediyurappa floated the Karnataka Janata Paksha enactment aft helium was removed arsenic CM pursuing his accusation successful a corruption report.

Yogeshwara did not travel Yediyurappa but recovered different improbable home: the Samajwadi Party. He won the spot different clip successful 2013, defeating Anita, the woman of JD(S) person H D Kumaraswamy.

Yogeshwara’s winning streak ended aft this election.

In 2018, helium mislaid to Kumaraswamy — present the Union Minister for Heavy Industry — by 21,000 votes,

A twelvemonth later, helium made his mode backmost to the BJP and was fixed the MLC summons and inducted to the Cabinet arsenic Minister of Tourism, Environment and Ecology.

Then, successful 2023, helium got backmost into the fray but again mislaid to Kumaraswamy by 16,000 votes.