Karnataka Council tickets for new faces

Bengaluru: This might not be good news for several Congress party leaders aspiring for tickets for the Rajya Sabha and Legislative Council polls.

At a meeting between Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president Dr G. Parameshwar Tuesday night at a plush hotel here, it was reportedly decided to give preference to region-based candidates and microscopic communities during the selection.

The two leaders also appeared to have reached a consensus on not fielding the same faces again-which means old warhorse Veeranna Mattikatti and party chief whip R.V. Venkatesh, whose term has come to an end this June, might not get tickets again.

Sources said a broad framework of guidelines was worked out for selecting candidates for seven of the 10 Council berths the ruling party can win. The ‘secret meeting’ assumes significance as the CM and the KPCC chief are scheduled to fly to New Delhi to discuss candidate selection on Thursday and Friday. The polls are to be held on June 11.

Speaking to Deccan Chronicle, a senior Congress leader disclosed that Mr Siddaramaiah seems to  have made up his mind not to choose leaders, who might turn out to be potential claimants for Cabinet berths later. He would prefer to pick candidates from microscopic, religious groups instead of powerful communities like his own – the Kurubas- the source added.

Meanwhile, both leaders gave enough hints during their separate interactions with mediapersons on Wednesday that the much awaited cabinet reshuffle might not figure in the crucial Delhi meeting. They also expressed reservations over fielding ‘outsiders’ in the Rajya Sabha polls.

Speaking to reporters, Mr Siddaramaiah said, "I am going to Delhi to communicate people's sentiments  against fielding  outsiders for the Rajya Sabha seats. In the case of the BJP, a public outcry is gaining momentum on this issue, so, I will definitely bring this issue to the notice of central leaders."
In response to a question on the possibility of a Cabinet reshuffle, Mr Siddaramaiah responded in the negative and said the polls for the Upper Houses should be over first.

Dr Parameshwar maintained that the meeting in New Delhi will focus on finalising names for Council and Rajya Sabha seats. "Based on our strength in the Assembly, we can win two Rajya Sabha seats and four in the Council. Three nominations can be made to the Council. In all, we need to finalise nine names for the Council and Rajya Sabha," he said.

Sudha Murty reluctant, JD(S) in quandary
The Janata Dal (Secular) is keen on fielding Infosys Foundation chairperson, Sudha Murty for the Rajya Sabha, but she has declined its offer, according to state party president, H D Kumaraswamy.

He explained that her husband and Infosys founder, Narayana Murthy was afraid there would be conflict of interest as a result of her position in the foundation and so turned down her entry into politics.

“Even today, the party’s  first choice is Mrs Sudha Murty. We have offered to make sure she gets the backing of all JD(S) legislators and seek the  help of other parties to make up the remaining votes. But if she remains adamant, we will have to finalise another candidate,'' Mr Kumaraswamy told reporters here on Wednesday.

Hitting out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, he said  nothing had changed in the country in his two years in office. “They call this Vikasa Parva, the developmental era. But I can see only BJP leaders' Vikasa and not the country's. Instead of striving for a Congress-mukt Bharath if  Mr Modi works for a problems-mukth Bharath, I will congratulate him,”  he added.

Urging the state government to address the problems of  police constables, who have threatened to begin an agitation from Thursday,  he recalled that the last time their salary was revised was in 2007-08, when he was Chief Minister.

“Since then even the ration their families received has been stopped,”  he regretted. Continuing his tirade against the government for the humiliation of  a Dalit woman, who had gone to the Chief Minister's home office for a janata darshan,  Mr Kumaraswamy warned  he would stage a protest in front of  the same office if action was not taken against the officials responsible.

The JDS leader  also came down hard on the government for refusing to clear the BDA’s  encroachments on city lakes. “The government should at least take action against those who permitted  the formation of  layouts on lake land,” he insisted.