BENGALURU: The ruling Congress’ charioteer and Chief Minister Siddaramaiah will contest from two constituencies —his home turf, Chamundeshwari, and a home away from home in Badami in Bagalkot district — evidently to prevent the BJP from securing a foothold south of the Vindhyas in Assembly elections scheduled for May 12.
Mr Siddaramaiah will hand in his nomination papers at Badami - the erstwhile regal capital of Badami Chalukyas and renowned for its cave temples carved out of red standstone hills - on April 24. He will set a record as the first Chief Minister to contest from Assembly constituencies in several decades, and emulate his mentor-turned-foe and JD (S) patriarch H D Deve Gowda who unsuccessfully contested from Holenarasipur and erstwhile Sathnur seats in 1989. Mr Gowda’s son and former chief minister H.D. Kumaraswamy is set to contest from two constituencies -Ramanagara and Channapatna - in forthcoming polls.
The suspense over Mr Siddaramaiah’s move to contest from Badami ended after the leader returned to Bengaluru on Saturday morning to attend an event where a mobile app was launched in the presence of party general secretary K.C. Venugopal, campaign committee chairman, D.K. Shivakumar, and state working president Dinesh Gundurao.
The Kuruba strongman, who campaigned extensively in Chamundeshwari and Varuna constituencies for five days after the party released its list of 218 candidates, told the media on Saturday: “I have told the high command that I will contest from Chamundeshwari and not from two constituencies. However, the people of north Karnataka are pressuring the high command that I should contest from north Karnataka too,” adding that he would go by the decision of central leaders. In the evening, his office confirmed that the Chief Minister would contest from Badami as well, but submit his nomination papers after another visit to his home district, Mysuru, on Monday.
Will Siddu face united Lingayat front?
With JD(S) leaders pulling out all the stops to trounce him in Chamundeshwari through his friend-turned-electoral rival G T Deve Gowda, Mr Siddaramaiah could well end up gambling big by contesting from Badami, where his party legislator B.B. Chimmanakatti won in 2013, thanks to a three-way division of votes of Lingayats as his three rivals belonged to the numerically significant community. Though sizeable number of voters belong to Kuruba community, the same as Mr Siddaramaiah, sources in Congress are apprehensive about a backlash in view of the state government’s decision to recommend a separate religion status for Lingayats. Add to it the possibility of the BJP picking a powerful Lingayat candidate to contest against the Chief Minister could make it a nail-biting finish for the Chief Minister in Badami. In addition, the enemy within, or party leaders who have opposed his style of functioning, could also make it difficult for Mr Siddaramaiah in both these seats. They are already peeved with his repeated assertion that he would return as the Chief Minister for another term at the end of next month’s polls.
Sources, however, said his presence in a constituency in north Karnataka would help the party increase its tally as he would be able to tour neighbouring districts and drum up support for Congress candidates in the region which elects 90 odd legislators to the 225 member House.
The four seat fracas
The turmoil in the Congress over selection of candidates, continues with some leaders refusing to contest the elections in protest and the axe hanging over others even as senior leaders try to keep their flock together.
MANDYA: While CM Siddaramaiah and AICC general secretary K.C. Venugopal intended to personally persuade Ambarish to contest the coming elections, they learnt that he had gone underground and now plan to field Amaravati Chandrashekhar, his relative from Mandya if he remains adamant Should Mr Chandrashekhar be fielded, it's believed Mr Ambarish may campaign for him.
MALLESWARAM: In a major setback for the party, Planning Minister, M.R. Seetharam has also refused to contest the elections. The party is now considering fielding a lawyer, K. Diwakar or another local leader in his place.
MADIKERI: While Chief Minister Siddaramaiah is reportedly keen on withdrawing H.S. Chandramouli as Madikeri candidate to counter BJP criticism of the party fielding Mehul Choksi’s lawyer, veteran leader, Mallikarjun Kharge is said to be against it. This is the third constituency after Bidar and Pulakeshinagar where the CM and Mr Kharge have had a strong disagreement over candidates.
PADMANABHANAGAR: While the party has decided to field Gurappa Naidu from Padmanabhanagar, the CM is reportedly keen on replacing him with a stronger candidate.
