New Delhi: PCC chief G Parameshwara and CLP leader Siddaramaiah figure in Congress' first list of 177 candidates released on Friday for the 224-member Assembly elections in Karnataka on May 5. Former Chief Minister late S Bangarappa's son Kumar Bangarappa S has been fielded from Sorab assembly seat. The list also includes former PCC chief RV Deshpande, sitting MLA Krishna Byregowda, a former Karnataka Youth Congress President who is perceived close to Rahul Gandhi and film actor and former I & B Minister MH Ambareesh.
Among Congress rebels who were in the running, Shivaraj Tangadagi is the only one to have got the ticket so far. He had contested the last assembly election as an Independent and had served as a minister in the BJP government. DK Shivkumar, former working president, considered close to party's Karnataka veteran SM Krishna, has been fielded from Kanakapura assembly seat.
Union minister Mallikarjun Kharge's son, KH Muniappa's daughter and former Chief Minister Dharam Singh's son are aspirants for tickets but no decision has been taken on their candidature so far. Sources said a decision will be taken after Congress President Sonia Gandhi, who is out of Delhi, comes back. Candidates have not been declared in a total of 47 seats. The party hopes to gain the maximum, in what promises this time to be a quadrangular contest this time among Congress, BJP, Janata Dal (secular) and former Chief Minister BS Yeddyurappa's Karnataka Janata Party (KJP).
The recent urban body polls results proved that while Yeddyurappa's KJP may not get more seats than the BJP, it can definitely play spoilsport for the Karnataka's ruling party. Congress has sought to make a dent in the BJP's Lingayat base by projecting Veeranna Mathikatti and made him the head of party's campaign committee. Lingayats constitute around 20 per cent of the population in Karnataka with Vokkaligas with around 18 per cent following closely. Besides, these OBCs constitute of around 40 per cent and Muslims 10 to 12 per cent.
While a prominent Muslim face CM Ibrahim, once a close associate of former Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda, has been made chairman of the Congress Election Strategy Committee, KR Ramesh Kumar, a Vokkaliga has been made the chairman of the Election Manifesto Committee. PCC chief G Parmeshwara is a Dalit while Siddharamiah, an OBC, is the Congress Legislature Party leader.
In absence of one leader acceptable to all communities as well as different factions in the party, there is a worry that if this oneupmanship among various senior leaders continue, it could lead to a situation of a slip between the cup and the lip. Apparently mindful that the regional heavyweights could affect the overall ticket distribution plan, Congress central leadership set up a high-level committee headed by AK Antony with senior Union ministers as its members, first of its kind for any assembly election.
Congress was apparently having a tough task in finalising the names of candidates. Controversy had earlier sprang during the finalisation of names of ticket contenders at the PCC level. State Youth Congress president Rizwan Arshad, who had earlier offered to resign in protest against denial of ticket to him from Muslim-dominated Narasimharaja assembly constituency in Mysore, told PTI that he will continue to work for the party, which has now accommodated more number of youths in the ticket distribution.
Sources said the party preferred sitting MLA from the area Tanveer Sait there as it was felt that denial of ticket to him could affect Congress' prospects in a number of other seats in this region as his family wields considerable influence there. "It was a policy decision of the party to give tickets to the sitting MLAs and we respect that," Arshad said.
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