Karnataka Bye-election: Congress camp abuzz with activities

Mangaluru: With the bye-election for three seats of the Karnataka Legislative Council scheduled on June 30, the Congress camp is abuzz with activities.

The vacancies arose after three MLCs from the BJP- Baburao Chinchansur, R Shankar, and Lakshman Savadi, resigned before the assembly election.

While Chinchansur and Savadi joined the Congress, R Shankar contested as an NCP candidate. However, only Savadi succeeded in securing a seat in the Assembly during the election.

With the Congress enjoying a strong majority in the assembly, it is widely anticipated that the party will clinch all three seats in the election scheduled on June 30.  (The voters for this election are the members of the Legislative Assembly).

The Congress camp is abuzz with preparations. Several names are being speculated upon, including that of former Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar and Irrigation Minister NS Boseraju.

"Jagadish Shettar had resigned from the BJP and joined Congress during the assembly election. Although he faced defeat, party leaders are considering offering him a prominent post to maintain the support of the Lingayat community. One viable option is to make him a member of the Legislative Council and potentially even the speaker," revealed a senior Congress leader to Deccan Chronicle.

"If necessary, the party can consider fielding him as a candidate in the parliamentary election scheduled for next year. This move would undoubtedly benefit the party," he stated.

The Congress party had appointed Boseraju as the minister in the Siddaramaiah government. As he is not a legislator, the party is likely to make him a member of the Council.   

Other notable names making rounds include former ministers Umashree and Baburao Chinchansur, and KPCC vice president PV Mohan. All three hail from OBC.

Baburao Chinchansur, who previously served as a minister, holds a longstanding association with the Congress. Despite briefly joining the BJP, he resigned from the Council and rejoined the Congress during the last election. Chinchansur contested the election from Gurmitkal as a Congress candidate but was unsuccessful. His name is now being circulated as a potential candidate for the Council.

Former minister and actress Umashree is recognized as a close aide to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah. Her unsuccessful bid for a party ticket in the last election has motivated her supporters to push for her candidacy in the upcoming Council election.

PV Mohan, who previously served as the AICC secretary and held key roles in the last assembly election, including in charge of Hubli-Dharwad and training head of the state, enjoys close ties with the party's High Command.