Bengaluru, 15 Aug

Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar on Thursday said that he is the Congress candidate for Channapatna Assembly bypoll.

Earlier too, Shivakumar had said that he is the candidate, irrespective of whoever contests from the party.

Shivakumar participated in the Independence Day celebrations and hoisted the national flag in the bypoll bound Channapatna for the first time today, which was seen with political connotations.

The Karnataka Congress Chief, is neither the MLA representing Channapatna nor the in-charge Minister of Ramanagara district, which was recently renamed as Bengaluru South, under which Channapatna taluk comes.

Later in the day, replying to reporters' question in Nelamangala on the city outskirts as to who will be the Congress candidate from Channapatna, he said, "I'm the candidate." He did not elaborate further.

Shivakumar currently represents the neighbouring Kanakapura segment.

Channapatna bypoll is necessitated as the seat fell vacant following the election of its representative -- JD(S) leader and now Union Minister HD Kumaraswamy -- to Lok Sabha in the recent elections.

Though there were talks earlier that Shivakumar's brother and former MP DK Sureshmay be fielded in Channapatna, speculations were rife in the political circles, that Shivakumar may himself enter the fray to avenge his brother's defeat and to re-establish his clout in the region. PTI