Bengaluru, Aug 16 (Reporter) Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar has confirmed that he will be the Congress candidate in the upcoming bypoll for the Channapatna Assembly seat, a party leader said on Friday. The announcement was made during an interaction with reporters on the outskirts of Bengaluru on Thursday, following his participation in the Independence Day celebrations in Channapatna. Shivakumar, who also serves as the Karnataka Congress President, is currently the MLA for the neighbouring Kanakapura constituency. His involvement in the Channapatna bypoll, whose schedule is yet to be announced by the Election Commission, has drawn significant attention, particularly since he is neither the incumbent MLA for the seat nor the district's in-charge Minister. The bypoll was triggered after the previous MLA, JD(S) leader H D Kumaraswamy, was elected to the Lok Sabha in the recent general elections. Speaking to media, Shivakumar unequivocally stated, "I'm the candidate," when asked who would represent the Congress in the bypoll...////...