D K Suresh rules himself out of Channapatna bypoll contest

Former Bangalore Rural MP D K Suresh, on Monday, virtually ruled himself out as the Congress’ candidate for the Channapatna bypoll.

However, his brother and Congress state unit president D K Shivakumar asserted in Ramanagar that if the party decides to field any of us (the brothers), either of them has to comply with it.

After a Janaspandana programme in Ramanagar, Shivakumar said if the party decided to field Suresh, even he (Shivakumar) could not overrule it.

“It is for the party and people of Channapatna to decide about the candidate,” he said.

In the same breath, Shivakumar, also the deputy chief minister, maintained that people had taught them (the brothers) a lesson and had asked Suresh to take rest by defeating him.

“As long as Suresh was an MP, he worked hard for the people. The same people asked him to take rest and elected a doctor (BJP’s Dr C N Manjunath). The doctor should be allowed to perform his duties,” he said.

“Suresh never lobbied for a ticket or position. Party decided to field him and he contested (from Bangalore Rural Lok Sabha seat),” he said.

Earlier, speaking to reporters in Bengaluru, Suresh said people would laugh if he agreed to contest within a month after losing elections.

“In a democracy, people’s verdict is final. Now, I want to live the life of a common party worker and common man,” he said. On the demand by people of Channapatna for his candidature, Suresh said people may say many things. But as a candidate, one should have the same mindset.

On Shivakumar’s repeated visits to Channapatna, he said they (the brothers) always had close ties with Channapatana and Ramanagar.

“Though I lost from Bangalore Rural Lok Sabha seat, Channapatna Assembly segment gave me good lead. As Shivakumar is in government, he is much sought after in Channapatna as the seat does not have a leader who can address people’s problems. So, he keeps going there,” Suresh said. On the party’s losing streak in Channapatna, Suresh said the Assembly segment had been a Congress bastion. “If a good candidate contests from there, Congress can win it back,” he said.