BENGALURU: With party veterans and ministers hesitant to contest the general election, the Congress high command seems to find it difficult to select winnable candidates, resulting in a delay in the Grand Old Party releasing even its first list. Ultimately, the party may have to experiment by fielding novices, which may have its own implications on its prospects, sources said.
Former minister Prakash Hukkeri has clarified that he will not contest the Lok Sabha polls, saying that he is “not a football to be kicked around by the high command”.
He had obeyed the latter by contesting the LS polls in 2014, which he won, and also in 2019, but lost. Even if it insists this time, he will take no risk, a Congress leader observed.
On Saturday, Social Welfare Minister Dr HC Mahadevappa rejected his becoming the candidate from Chamarajanagara LS constituency. “If an offer came 10 years ago, I would have been extremely happy, but now it is enough for me. I am not an aspirant and will never become a candidate, but will fight for the victory of whoever becomes the party’s candidate. My son’s (Sunil Bose) name has been proposed 3-4 times, and the party workers and MLAs will have a final say on it,” he clarified.
According to sources, the high command made him minister with a condition that he should contest the LS polls and Siddaramaiah was a party to it.
For the Davanagere seat, the high command proposed minister SS Mallikarjun’s name, but he in turn suggested that one of his family members was ready to contest. But the high command has now planned to choose a new face and BG Vinay Kumar, hailing from the Kuruba community, is a frontrunner, as Siddaramaiah would back his candidature.
For Raichur, the name of retired IAS officer G Kumar Naik is making the rounds, as he had served as deputy commissioner there. With Food and Civil Supplies Minister KH Muniyappa not prepared to contest from Kolar, former ZP member M Narayanaswamy has emerged as a strong contender.
Ministers Satish Jarkiholi, B Nagendra, and Eshwar Khandre have been hesitant to contest from Belagavi, Ballari, and Bidar seats, respectively, a source said. For Chitradurga, former minister H Anjaneya’s name was proposed, but he is ready to give it up for KPCC working president BN Chandrappa.
A few ministers, including Jarkiholi and Mahadevappa, were not ready to switch to national politics, as they were harnessing the dream of becoming DCMs in the state government, a Congress leader observed.
He added that Home Minister Dr G Parameshwara has become the CM’s choice for the DCM’s post, if at all the high command takes a call after the general election.
“We are keenly awaiting the first list of candidates to be announced, as we have to start working in the constituencies,” remarked Parameshwara.
In 2019 general assembly elections, BJP won 25 seats, one seat each went to Congress, JD(S) and Independent (supported by BJP).
However, in Assembly polls conducted last year, Congress won 135 seats, 66 went into BJP’s kitty while JD (S) emerged victorious in 19.
Leaders, ministers and reasons
Social Welfare Minister Dr HC Mahadevappa has rejected his becoming the candidate from Chamarajanagara LS constituency. Former minister Prakash Hukkeri has clarified that he will not contest the polls. Food and Civil Supplies Minister KH Muniyappa said he is not prepared to contest from Kolar.