MYSURU: With former minister B B Chimmanakatti openly criticising Congress Legislature Party leader Siddaramaiah’s decision to contest the 2023 Assembly election from Badami, another former minister, Puttaranga Shetty, who is MLA from Chamarajanagar, has offered to give up his seat if the former CM wishes to contest from there.
Puttaranga Shetty, who was minister for Backward Classes in the Congress-JDS coalition government and a three-time MLA from Chamarajanagar, has decided to reach out to Siddaramaiah in this regard so that the latter does not have to hunt for a constituency.
Although, Chamarajpet MLA Zameer Ahmed Khan has on many occasions in the past said that he was ready to give up his seat for Siddaramaiah to contest in 2023, the latter has clarified that he will contest from Badami. Sources close to Siddaramaiah also revealed that there are plans to prevail upon on him to contest from Kolar or Malur --- constituencies with a high number of Dalit, Kuruba, Minorities and Backward Classes voters — or from Hebbal in Bengaluru without harming the political career of his son Yathindra, who is Varuna MLA. MLA Byrathi Suresh has also invited Siddaramaiah to contest from Hebbal.
Meanwhile, there are demands from several quarters for Siddaramaiah to contest from Chamundeshwari in Mysuru district. In 2018, Siddaramaiah lost to GT Devegowda of the JDS. But now, Devegowda has hinted that he will join the Congress at an appropriate time. But, Siddaramaiah is playing his cards close to his chest.
A few Congress leaders feel that Siddaramaiah contesting from Chamarajanagar will also help contain the emergence of BJP. In 2018, the BJP won Gundlupet and managed to wrest the Lok Sabha seat from Congress in 2019.
A Congress leader felt that Chamarajanagar seat may not be a priority for Siddaramaiah and the Congress as Puttaranga Shetty is the lone Uppara community MLA from the Congress and there is no other seat where a party candidate from the community can win despite their sizeable population.