BENGALURU: After a prolonged delay and multiple rounds of meetings — including those that discussed disqualification of a candidate post polling — results of the Karnataka Youth Congress elections are likely to be announced on Friday. The announcement will be made in New Delhi by Indian Youth Congress President BV Srinivas. Candidates, their supporters as well as KPCC President DK Shivakumar will be present in Delhi.
Despite being an internal party election, the Youth Congress polls in Karnataka witnessed severe infighting, lobbying and complaints. While scrutiny of votes, that were cast digitally, is complete, sources in the party suggested that discussions are under way on a disqualification petition against Bengaluru unit IYC President Mohammed Haris Nalapad’s candidature. Nalapad had been called for meetings in New Delhi to discuss whether his poll results should be withheld, owing to complaints raised over cases pending against him, sources said.
“It is one thing to ask him to refrain from contesting owing to cases, but to rake up the issue after allowing him to contest is not right. No law stops anyone facing cases from contesting an election. All he wants to know is how many people voted for him,” said a source close to Nalapad. Hectic lobbying had split the party into three factions — one in support of Nalapad (backed by Shivakumar), one in support of Raksha Ramaiah (backed by Siddaramaiah) and a third in support of H S Manjunath (backed by BK Hariprasad and GC Chandrashekhar and indirectly endorsed by G Parameshwara). All senior leaders, though, denied interfering in the election process.
“There is a syndicate in the Karnataka Congress that refuses to allow new faces to come to the fore. The syndicate wants to exercise control over the Youth Congress,” said a source close to Shivakumar.