Timmapur, Hariprasad, Ahmed in race to fill MLC Patil shoes

Shyam Sundar Vattam | NT

Bengaluru: With the term of current Leader of Opposition in the State Legislative Council S.R.Patil to end on Jan 5, 2022, the hunt is on to find a suitable candidate to step into the Congress veteran’s shoes.

Hailing from Mudhol in Bagalkot district, the denial of a ticket to Patil to contest the Council polls has deeply angered his supporters. The Belagavi session from December 13 to December 24, will see Patil ‘s last run as Opposition leader. The party has to name the new leader by January when the Governor addresses the joint session of the State Legislative in the month of January-February, 2022.

The three frontrunners are - former minister R.B.Timmapur, former AICC Secretary B.K.Hariprasad and KPCC Working President Salim Ahmed. While CLP Leader Siddaramaiah is pushing Timmapura’s candidature, the KPCC Working President backs Salim Ahmed and Hariprasad has the blessings of AICC supremo Sonia Gandhi because of his long stay in the national capital.

Salim Ahmed had been contesting from Hubballi-Dharwad two-member seat and is sure of his victory. If he manages to pull off another success, he would automatically become the front runner for the post of Opposition leader in the Upper House. In the event that Siddaramaiah wants to ensure the post goes to a dalit, then both Salim and Hariprasad will miss the bus. Hariprasad is an Idiga, a backward classes community who are concentrated in Shivamogga district.

Party sources told News Trail that Hariprasad has the brightest chance of getting the post of Opposition Leader because of his proximity to the Gandhi family as well as his close ties to Shivakumar.

Besides, Hariprasad’s long run in Delhi for many years have made him adept at dealing with issues of state and national subjects.

As for former minister Timmapura, he had been elected as MLA once or twice but he lacks the smooth oratory skills that is ssecond nature to Hariprasad. The Congress has, at the same time, made plans to ensure there is no Vokkaliga backlash when it replaces Patil with a new face, which include giving him a plum post in the KPCC. Just before the Council polls, Shivakumar met Patil and promised him a good position in the party in the coming days. In fact, Congress is confident it will win a few seats including Vijayapura- Bagalkot double seat constituency where Sunilgouda Patil, brother of former minister and Babaleshwar MLA, M.B.Patil had been given a ticket. for the Council.

Insiders said that a detailed profile of all three contenders was being prepared for the Congress high command, with the onus on picking the final name resting in the hands of the Congress bigwigs.