BENGALURU: As the stakes are high in the bypolls to Davanagere South and Bagalkot, the ruling Congress is considering no other criteria, except winnability, to pick candidates.
The bypolls to Davanagere South and Bagalkot were necessitated following the demise of Shamanur Shivashankarappa and HY Meti, respectively.
The names of Horticulture Minister SS Mallikarjun’s son Samarth, who already filed his nomination papers on Friday, and Meti’s son Umesh, an advocate, have been finalised, said Congress sources, adding that an official announcement will be out soon.
But Muslim leaders indicated that they would rebel if a member from their community is not picked.
AICC general secretary and Karnataka in charge Randeep Singh Surjewala, who arrived to finalise candidates, held meetings with Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, Deputy CM DK Shivakumar and AICC Secretary Abhishek Dutt at a private hotel in Bengaluru. SS Mallikarjun and Forest Minister Eshwar Khandre too were summoned. While receiving Surjewala at the airport, Khandre had backed Samarth’s candidature.
Muslim leaders, who got wind of Samarth filing his nomination papers, stepped up their demand for a ticket. Surjewala later held a meeting with them where Housing Minister BZ Zameer Ahmed Khan insisted that the party field a Muslim. Council Chief Whip Saleem Ahmed, Minister Rahim Khan, Rajya Sabha member Nasir Hussain, among others, were present.
Later, Siddaramaiah called them to his official residence Cauvery and convinced them to work unitedly for the party’s victory, sources added.
For Bagalkot, Siddaramaiah managed to convince Meti family members of Meti and chose Umesh as party’s candidate. He had convinced Meti’s daughters — Mahadevi and Bayakka, and son Mallikarjun — by promising to fulfil their certain demands, sources informed the TNIE.
“You (media) and everybody were sceptical of Congress winning bypolls in the past... but we won... because the people of Karnataka and the poor are with us. We are again going to win the two seats with the blessings of brothers and sisters of Karnataka,” Surjewala said.
“Congress is united in Karnataka and other states. Congress believes that even a single person’s point must be heard. Every single worker, every single Congress leader has the right to express their aspirations, demands and hope. Then we will decide as a family and work unitedly. India is in a huge crisis, and Congress is the only party the people look forward to,” he elaborated.