Bengaluru: Children and close relatives of Congress heavyweights in the state are itching to plunge into the electoral battle in the upcoming Youth Congress polls, tentatively planned in mid-February.
Sources said ministers and Congress leaders are trying hard to push their sons and daughters to contest the Youth Congress elections. By doing this, the leaders can convince AICC vice president Rahul Gandhi and other senior leaders that their kith and kin were not ‘airdropped’ on the party just prior to the Assembly polls.
Two, they do not want to nurture a newcomer who can pose a threat to the leaders in future and lastly, the Youth Congress is a training ground for greenhorns keen on a political career.
Although, no one is coming forward to make a forthright statement in this regard, sources said that of late, many flex boards and banners have cropped up across the state in which top politicians’ sons or daughters can be seen with their parents in the garb of conveying Christmas and New Year greetings to voters.
This time at least 30 noted leaders’ sons, daughters, nephews and grandsons’ names are doing the rounds.
Although nothing is confirmed yet, it is rumoured that Energy minister, D.K. Shivakumar's distant relative Kemparaju, Transport minister, Ramalinga Reddy's daughter, Soumya Reddy, AICC general secretary, B.K. Hariprasad's nephew, Rakshit Shivaram, Animal Husbandry minister, A. Manju's son, Dr Manthar Gowda, MLA N.A. Haris’ son Mohammed Haris, K.N. Rajanna's son K.N. Rajendra, Hampangouda Badarli's son Basavangouda Badarli, R.V. Devraj's son and sitting BBMP corporator, Yuvaraj, Raichur MP, B.V. Naik's nephew Sandeep Naik, former MLAs, Diwakar Babu's son Anil Kumar, Suryanarayan Reddy’s son Bharat Reddy, Shivamogga Shantangowda's grandson Kushal Patel and former Vokkaliga leader, H.C. Srikantaiah's grandson Lallith Raghav - are likely to contest the Youth Congress polls in the state.
Speaking to Deccan Chronicle, an youth leader observed that though AICC vice-president, Rahul Gandhi's intentions of giving chances to new leader may not have materialised fully it could at least, be partially fulfilled in this manner.
A veteran leader observed that the main reason behind leaders pushing their relatives to contest the Youth Congress polls is to protect their own turf. “They do not want other youngsters to contest the elections and want their kin to succeed them,” the leader confided.
