Nikhil Kumaraswamy Accuses Congress of Election Manipulation in Channapatna Bypoll | Bengaluru News

Bengaluru: JD(S) state youth wing president Nikhil Kumaraswamy said the release of Rs 4,000 to bank accounts of Gruha Lakshmi scheme beneficiaries just ahead of polling day helped Congress win the Channapatna bypoll.
In an open letter to JD(S) workers, Nikhil accused the state govt of misusing power. “How is right to deposit money in bank accounts of voters when polling was just a few hours away?” he asked. “Congress is celebrating their ill-gotten victory. Let them do so. I am not jealous of them.”
Incidentally, state BJP president BY Vijayendra had also written a similar letter to party cadres, asking them not to be disheartened by the defeat in the bypolls.
Despite his third electoral defeat in a row, Nikhil said he would continue his fight for the welfare of the people of Channapatna. “In the battlefield, winning and losing is common. But I will not run away. You need not lose heart,” he said.
He also lambasted CP Yogeeshwara, Congress candidate who won, for claiming that he would get JD(S) MLAs to switch sides. “Does he think our MLAs are goods that can be bought?” Nikhil asked. “On one hand, his party members take oath holding copies of the Constitution. But here is a person, who has not yet taken oath as MLA, but is speaking about purchasing rival MLAs,” he said.