K’taka polls: Suresh files papers as ‘precautionary measure’

Congress leader and Bengaluru Rural MP DK Suresh on Thursday filed nomination from the Kanakapura assembly constituency as the backup candidate in case there are issues with the papers filed by his brother and the party’s state unit chief DK Shivakumar for the upcoming Karnataka assembly elections, people familiar with the matter said.

Confirming the development, Suresh said, “I’m a voter from Kanakapura and I should be contesting from there. That is the direction from our party president and AICC leaders. We are hearing about certain conspiracies, so as a precautionary measure, I have filed my nomination.”

On being questioned as to what kind of conspiracy, he said, “There are chances for anything to happen. BJP people have an eye on Shivakumar. They cannot do anything to him by getting public support, as people of Kanakapura won’t support them. What BJP is doing against opposition parties using wrong means, you have been seeing. So, as a precautionary measure, I have filed a nomination.”

Pointing out that cases are coming up against him and his brother in the courts every day, the MP further said, “Four to five days ago too we got a notice from the Income Tax department from Chennai, asking for personal appearance. We have said we will come after the election, and for now we will not be able to come as we have election responsibilities.”

Whether it is in the high court or the Supreme Court there are stays on all the cases, he said, adding that “yesterday the stay was extended (in a case), but with power in their hands, what they (BJP) will do at what time we are not sure. By misusing official machinery, they have targeted the Opposition party and Shivakumar earlier.”

Going by the affidavit, Shivakumar has 19 criminal cases pending against him. Of the 19 cases, ten are concerning the protest marches carried out by him and the Congress, four are related to alleged tax evasion, two cases under the Money Laundering Act and one related to an alleged bribery case. Two other cases are filed by the CBI and the Lokayukta in connection with alleged disproportionate assets.

On whether Shivakumar would contest from Kanakapura if everything went as expected, Suresh said, “Let’s wait and watch ....I have given my B-form too.”

DK Shivakumar, 60, is the official candidate from Kanakapura, the constituency that has elected him in the last three state elections in 2008, 2013 and 2018.

DK Suresh, 57, is the only Congress MP from Karnataka in the Lok Sabha.

The ruling BJP has fielded a senior minister and its prominent Vokkaliga face R Ashoka from Kanakapura to take on DK Shivakumar.

To be sure, it is not unusual for political parties to field a backup candidate who withdraws from the race after the main candidate’s papers are formally cleared by the returning officer

DK Suresh’s nomination has been filed as a precautionary measure, said Shivakumar, according to ANI.

There was speculation that the Congress could field DK Suresh from Padmanabhanagar segment, the other assembly seat from where Ashoka is contesting as its payback for fielding Ashoka from Kanakapura.

Earlier, there was buzz that the Congress could field DK Suresh from Ramanagara, against JD(S) leader and former CM H D Kumaraswamy’s son Nikhil Kumaraswamy. Suresh had, however, rebutted this possibility, saying he was not interested in coming to state politics.