Protests erupt over Congress list OBCS, Lingayats among party’s Karnataka picks

KARNATAKA POLLS Supporters call for bandh, break furniture at party office after sitting MLAS denied tickets in list of 218 candidates

BENGALURU: Protests against the Congress party’s first list erupted across Karnataka on Monday after 13 members of legislative assembly were denied tickets by the party in its list of 218 candidates announced on Sunday — a clear sign that the party’s strategy of picking candidates on “winnability” might not go down well with everyone.

Supporters of K Shadakshari, the sitting MLA from Tiptur in Tumakuru, called for a bandh to protest against the party for not giving him a ticket. Protests were held in Tarikere, too, where sitting MLA GH Srinivasa was denied a ticket. His supporters broke a few chairs in the local party office. The protests were, however, not limited to sitting MLAS who were denied tickets. In Bengaluru, R Manjula Naidu, who unsuccessfully contested from the Rajaji Nagar seat in 2013, lodged her protest against the party’s decision to field former Mayor G Padmavathi from the seat instead.

Shadakshari claimed he has been in Shirdi (in Maharashtra) for the past few days and denied all knowledge of the protests. “It is, of course, disappointing that the party has chosen to sideline me by giving someone else a ticket. I have been with the Con- gress for 40 years and although I have lost a couple of times, I managed to win over the people through my work.” Shadakshari said he was particularly disappointed that B Nanjamari was given the ticket instead of him. “He is a recent entrant to the party, who has not done anything for the constituency or party,” he said, adding that he would consider his options before deciding on a future course of action.

Responding to the protests, state Congress working president Dinesh Gundu Rao said the party had to take a tough call, but had only one parameter to pick candidates: winnability. “In many seats there were more than two aspirants and we can only field one, so naturally, those who have lost out will feel angry.” “There were others, too, who did not win the last time who expected to contest on the Congress ticket. We are hoping that after a day or two their anger will subside,” he said.

Rao said the party would reach out to the angry leaders.

The BJP, which has always fielded candidates on the basis of their ability to win is facing some problems too. S Thippeswamy, party MLA from Molkalmuru, wasn’t on the first list. The party decided to field B Sriramulu, close aide of mining baron G Janardhana Reddy from the constituency. Sriramulu had previously always contested from Ballari Rural seat, which like Molkalmuru is reserved for candidates from the tribal community.

A disappointed Thippeswamy is believed to have reached out to the Congress. A close aide of DK Shivakumar, the energy minister said Thippeswamy had met the Congress leader. “Since we (already) announced a candidate for Molkalmuru, Shivakumar said he would see what could be done,” his aide said, asking not to be identified. HT couldn’t immediately reach Thippeswamy for comment or independently verify the aide’s account.

Against this backdrop, Janata Dal (Secular) leader HD Kumaraswamy has invited dissidents from both the Congress and BJP to contest on the party’s ticket. “Kumaraswamy has called on all those who are disgruntled with the other parties to join the JD(S) and ensure his victory,” a person close to the JD(S) leader said on condition of anonymity. NEWDELHI: The Congress sought to do a fine caste balance on its first list of 218 candidates for the May 12 assembly elections in Karnataka, fielding 52 nominees from the other backward class (OBC) as well as 42 Lingayats and 39 Vokaligas — the state’s two influential communities.

The OBCS constitute nearly 23% of the state’s population of 65 million while Lingayats, Vokaligas and Kurubas account for around 14%, 11% and 9% respectively. Chief minister Siddaramaiah is from the marginalised Kuruba community, the third largest caste in Karnataka after Lingayats and Vokaligas, the two upper castes that have influenced the state’s politics for decades.

The ruling party fielded 36 Dalits, who make up 19.5% of the population, 17 from scheduled tribes accounting for 5% of the demography, 15 Muslims, seven Brahmins, two Christians and two Jains. People of the Islamic faith constitute 16% of the population while Brahmins and Christians are 3% each and Jains represent 1% of the total, according to latest census data. The Congress seems to have gone for experience over youth, with 138 candidates aged between 51 and 70. Of the remaining 80 candidates, 24 are in the age group of 25-40 and 49 are between 41 and 50 years. As many as seven contestants are above 70 years.

The party is fielding 13 women. And of the six seats pending, the Congress announced its support to one independent candidate.

Candidate selection has been a critical element in Karnataka with the Congress facing huge embarrassment in the past two assembly elections over allegations that the party took money from people seeking its poll ticket — to contest under its banner. The party denied the charges.

Supporters of leaders denied re-nomination hit the streets against Siddaramaiah and the party leadership minutes after the Congress announced its list.

The Congress leadership came under fire for giving tickets to sons and daughters of senior leaders, bypassing the earlier one family-one ticket norm followed in some states, including Punjab.

While Siddaramaiah’s son Yatheendra will contest from Varuna, Congress leader in the Lok Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge’s son Priyank has been re-nominated for Chittapur and Lok Sabha parliamentarian KH Muniyappa’s daughter Roopa Sasidhar is the party candidate for Kolar Gold Fields constituency. State home minister R Ramalinga Reddy’s daughter Sowmya will contest from Jayanagar, law and parliamentary affairs minister TB Jayachandra’s son Santosh has been fielded from Chikanayakanahalli. Housing minister M Krishnappa’s son Priya Krishna will contest from Vijayanagar. Seven former Janata Dal (Secular) legislators — Zamir Ahmed Khan, Chelluvar Ayyasamy, Iqbal Ansari, Akhanda Srinivas Moorthi, HC Balakrishna, Bheema Nayak and Ramesh Bendi Siddhagowda — have been given Congress tickets.

This left a question mark over Congress president Rahul Gandhi’s repeated resolve to prefer loyalists over “paratroopers”.

But KC Venugopal, the Congress general secretary incharge of Karnataka, says a candidate’s prospect of victory was the overriding factor in the selection process. Political analysts disagreed.

“No great strategy seems to be behind the list. The only highlight is that Siddaramaiah now joins the list of leaders bent upon promoting their children in power politics. This seems to have forced the party to accede to similar demands from other leaders at the cost of alienating aspirants waiting for a chance,” says A Narayana, associate professor at the Azim Premji University.

In many seats, there were more than two aspirants and we can only field one candidate, so naturally, those who have lost out will feel angry.