Manjunath, a supporter of BJP’s candidate from Hosakote MTB Nagaraj alleged that he was assaulted by followers of interdependent candidate Sharath Bachegowda.
The bye-election campaign in Karnataka's Hosakote constituency turned violent on Tuesday after a group of supporters of independent candidate Sharath Bachegowda allegedly assaulted a supporter of BJP candidate MTB Nagaraj in the constituency. The worker injured in the incident - Manjunath - filed a complaint at Thirumalashetti Police Station alleging that 7-8 supporters of Sharath Bachegowda assaulted him because he was campaigning for BJP candidate in Hosakote and former Congress rebel MTB Nagaraj. The incident occurred at 11:45 pm on Tuesday night at Khajihosahalli when Manjunath was campaigning for MTB Nagaraj. In his complaint to the police, Manjunath alleged that he was assaulted by supporters of Sharath Bachegowda. "Manjunath said he was hit by stones and rods on his head by a group of supporters of Sharath Bachegowda. We have registered a case based on his complaint and we are investigating it," a police official in Thirumalashetti police station told TNM. A case was registered under section 307 (attempt to murder) of the IPC against a group of unidentified members. Manjunath, a supporter of MTB Nagaraj, was allegedly assaulted by supporters of Sharath Bachegowda A BJP functionary in Hosakote however said that Manjunath was not a party cadre and also denied that he attacked by supporters of Sharath Bachegowda. "It is true that Manjunath is supporting MTB Nagaraj in the bye-elections but he was injured after a fight with a family in Khajihosahalli when he was distributing money to people urging them to attend Chief Minister Yediyurappa's rally set to be held today," a BJP functionary in Hosakote alleged. However, police officials at Thirumalashetti police station stated that Manjunath identified himself as a BJP worker in his complaint and alleged that he was assaulted because he was campaigning for MTB Nagaraj instead of Sharath Bachegowda. Speaking to reporters, MTB Nagaraj said, "Manjunath was assaulted because he was campaigning for the BJP. This hooliganism by his supporters has occurred before. In the next few days, the public will decide their fate." The incident highlighted the divisions within the BJP in Hosakote ever since it was announced that former Congress Minister MTB Nagaraj would be the party's candidate in the constituency. Sharath Bachegowda, son of veteran politician and Chikkaballapura MP BN Bachegowda, was an aspirant in Hosakote. In the 2018 Assembly Elections, Sharath had contested as the BJP candidate against MTB Nagaraj, who was then in the Congress, and lost from the Hosakote constituency. However, when it was announced that MTB Nagaraj would be the BJP candidate in Hosakote, Sharath dissented against the BJP and filed his nomination papers to contest as an independent candidate from the constituency. The turn of events led to a highly charged bye-election campaign in Hosakote with a section of BJP functionaries in the constituency aligning with Sharath. BJP expelled Sharath from the party for his actions and his father Bachegowda has distanced himself from his son in the run-up to the bye-election. The Janata Dal (Secular) has not fielded a candidate in Hosakote and former Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy has said that the party will support Sharath's candidature. Meanwhile, Congress has fielded Padmavati Suresh, wife of Hebbal MLA Byrathi Suresh, from Hosakote.
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