Vijayendra to contest? Congress may stick to kin
KALABURAGI: With the Election Commission likely to announce the calendar of events for the Basavakalyan assembly by-election, the BJP and Congress are zeroing in on their candidates. The bypoll is necessitated due to the death of Congress MLA B Narayana Rao, due to Covid-19 last September. The BJP, playing a highstakes game, is likely to propose BJP state unit vice-president and Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa’s son BY Vijayendra as the candidate, sources in the BJP said.
In the past three months, Vijayendra has visited Basavakalyan twice and held discussions with party leaders as well as with seers of various mutts in Basavakalyan. Speaking to the press in Kalaburagi and Basavakalyan, Vijayendra did not dispute his chances of contesting the bypoll. He expressed gratitude to the people of Basavakalyan for reposing faith in him, and said he would abide by the central leadership’s decision. There are chances of Deputy Chief Minister Laxman Savadi emerging as the dark horse, as it is mandatory for him to get elected so as to continue in the minister’s post.
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Savadi was not available for comment. In case the BJP high command decides to field a local, it might consider the names of former MLA Mallikarjun Khuba, Sharanu Salagar of Aland taluk whose wife is tahasildar of Basavakalyan, Gundureddy and Pradeep Wakade. The Congress appears to be sticking to its traditional practice of giving the ticket to a family member.
At a meeting in Bengaluru a couple of days ago, senior KPCC leaders held discussions with Congress leaders and aspirants from Bidar district to shortlist names for the bypoll. Sources said the party is likely to give the ticket to the late MLA’s wife, Mallamma. A senior party leader told TNIE that Opposition leader Siddaramaiah was advocating her name, and had found support in some leaders from Bidar.
However, the meeting also discussed the names of MLC Vijay Singh, older son of former CM Dharam Singh, former DCC president Basavaraj Bulla, besides two local leaders Shivaraj Narashetty and Anand Devappa. The KPCC will recommend the names to the party high command, sources added. The JD(S) had initially said it would not contest the bypolls, but appears to have changed its mind. JDS leader Bandeppa Kashampur said the party has shortlisted a few names from various communities, including former Basavakalyan MLA Maruti Mule, and would announce the name after the BJP and Congress do so.