BENGALURU: Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Wednesday met the sons and daughters of former MLA late HY Meti in the state capital in connection with the April 9 bypolls in Bagalkot Assembly constituency. There were strong differences amidst Meti’s sons Mallikarjuna and Umesh and daughters Bayakka and Mahadevi, with Mahadevi declaring that she would contest the polls even if she did not get a Congress ticket.
Sources said Siddaramaiah has convinced all four of them to stay united, and assured that one of them would be given a ticket in consultation with the party high command. As Meti hailed from the Kuruba community, Siddaramaiah shouldered the responsibility to unite them.
BJP to field a Kuruba from Davanagere South
BJP has been planning to checkmate Siddaramaiah in Davanagere South Assembly constituency by fielding GB Vinay Kumar, who is also a Kuruba. Sources said BJP national leaders have already held a round of talks with Kumar in Delhi.
Kumar, who tried in vain to be the Congress candidate in the 2024 LS polls from Davanagere, had contested as an independent and got 42,907 votes. The factionalism within the BJP over Davanagere South seat may turn out to be a boon for Kumar.
The camps of former minister MP Renucharya and former MP GM Siddeshwara have been vying for the ticket for Kumar and Yashwantrao Jadhav, respectively. However, if the high command fields Kumar, both camps are likely to accept it, sources said.
Congress high command will decide, says Shivakumar
Meanwhile, when asked if he was aware of the legislators holding meetings, Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee president and Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar said, “The responsibility to manage legislators rests with the CM, as he is the Congress Legislative Party (CLP) leader.”
On the confusion about whom the Congress would give the ticket for Davanagere South by-election, he said, “I don’t have information on that. I have discussed it with the CM. The CM held a discussion with the Meti family today (Wednesday) regarding the Bagalkot bypoll. Ticket aspirants for Davanagere South are going to meet us. We will give a report to the high command and they will make a decision. The candidate will be finalised in two or three days.”