HUBBALLI: The Congress has named Yasir Ahmed Khan Pathan as its candidate for the November 13 bypolls from Shiggaon Assembly constituency. Pathan will take on BJP’s Bharat Bommai, son of Haveri MP and former CM Basavaraj Bommai.
This is the first time in the last four years that the Congress is fielding a candidate from a minority community. It is said that Karnataka Housing Minister BZ Zameer Ahamed Khan was keen on getting tickets for members from the minority community. Pathan is also close to Hangal MLA Srinivas Mane.
Shiggaon, a Lingayat stronghold, has a large number of voters from minority communities as well. The votes of Kuruba community is also a deciding factor in the constituency. On Thursday, both the BJP and Congress have planned a rally for the nomination filing in Haveri.
Basavaraj Bommai has claimed that there is no rebellion in the BJP after the ticket was announced for his son Bharat. Political experts said that there are many aspirants in the Congress as well. In the 2023 Assembly polls, Pathan had lost to Basavaraj Bommai by 36,000 votes. Pathan was a Zilla Panchayat member from Bommanahalli of Hangal.
The bypoll was necessitated following Basavaraj Bommai’s election to the Lok Sabha earlier this year.