MYSURU: AFTER former minister A H Vishwanath’s cross over to the JD(S) to contest from Hunsur, hectic lobbying has begun for the Congress ticket in KR Nagar. According to sources, many Congress leaders, including former Mandya MP Ramya, are keen on contesting from KR Nagar in the 2018 assembly elections. There are rumours that Ramya, who is heading the social media team of the party, is planning to enter state politics. Although she had rented a house in Mandya, her new assignment has kept her away from the town for sometime. Sources said she may contest the next assembly polls from K R Nagar which falls in the Mandya LokSabha constituency.
A few local Congressmen also feel that Ramya, a Vokkaliga, should be the party’s choice as the constituency is dominated by Vokkaligas, followed by Dalits and Kurubas. Since Siddaramaiah, Yathindra and M K Somashekar, all from Kuruba community, will be contesting from Congress, it would be difficult for the party to give a ticket to a fourth Kuruba candidate in Mysuru district which has 10 segments, including three reserved seats. The Congress leaders, who are keen on accommodating other sections of society, may not bargin for the fourth general seat in Mysuru district and may field a Vokkaliga candidate to take on JD(S) MLA S R Mahesh who is eyeing a hat-rick win from K R Nagar.
Other contenders
Meanwhile, Congress leader Hosahalli Venkatesh, a follower of D K Shiva Kumar, is also eyeing ticket. Kuruba Community leaders are hopeful that Chief Minister Siddaramaiah will get ticket for the fourth Kuruba candidate in the district. Defeated Congress leader Doddaswamy Gowda and his son Ravishanker, a ZP member, are lobbying for a ticket. Gowda said the Congress will gain from anti-incumbency against the sitting MLA and with the solid support of Kurubas and Dalits. Meanwhile, Ishwarya Mahadev, a law graduate and daughter of former MLA Manchanahalli Mahadeva, is planning to contest elections if the Congress gives her a ticket. She started calling on her father’s friends and well-wishers expressing her wish to enter public life.