Speculation swirls about Yogeshwar joining Congress

BENGALURU: A day after he resigned as member of the Legislative Council, there is speculation in the state political circles that BJP’s C P Yogeshwar may join the ruling Congress. Following his resignation, Deputy CM D K Shivakumar and his brother D K Suresh have initiated ‘Operation Hasta’, and the plan is said to be almost finalised. The DK brothers seem to be betting on the adage that ‘an enemy of an enemy is a friend’.

Reports suggest that Yogeshwar, who has already resigned from the legislative council, has challenged the BJP-JD(S) alliance. If Yogeshwar contests independently, it will be tough competition for everyone. The DK brothers’ aim is to bring Yogeshwar to the Congress fold. By gaining Yogeshwar’s trust and setting aside all differences, they hope to limit JD(S) and Kumaraswamy to Ramanagara alone.

It is said that the DK brothers, who are making all efforts to weaken the JD(S) in its home turf, are waiting for the right time to bring in Yogeshwar. They are well aware that it is difficult to build unanimity in a tie-up. If Yogeshwar contests the election independently, the election field will be tough for everyone.

If they can strike a deal with Yogeshwar by keeping all indifferences aside, they could restrict the activities of JD(S) and Union Minister Kumaraswamy to Ramanagara. It is said that the DK brothers are rolling the political dice with all political calculations and making all efforts till the last minute.

Meanwhile, Yogeshwar clarified that he is definitely contesting the upcoming Channapatna Assembly by-election, but hadn’t decided about joining any other party and was thinking of contesting as an independent candidate. “As the bye-election nears, some rumors start doing the rounds. I don’t have such intentions, but what happens tomorrow, I don’t know”, he said