Ministers too contenders for Congress Lok Sabha tickets

NT Correspondent

Bengaluru: State Congress is mooting fielding ministers in Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s Cabinet in the Lok Sabha elections next year.

The idea came up for consideration when Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy CM DK Shivakumar visited New Delhi to hold discussions with All India Congress Committee (AICC) president Mallikarjun Kharge, whose name has been suggested for the Prime Ministerial candidate of the pan-India Opposition alliance.

On the meeting’s agenda was shortlisting probables for the Lok Sabha tickets. Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) had appointed observers for all 28 Lok Sabha constituencies in the state.

The purpose was to visit the segments, gather information, converse with potential candidates and the cadre and submit a report detailing their findings.

So far, only Housing Minister Zameer Ahmed has submitted his report for Chikkaballapura where the names of former MP from the seat M Veerappa Moily, Shivashankar Reddy, Raksha Ramaiah, Venkataramanaiah and Kenchegowda had “come up for discussion.”

Other observers, also ministers, have been asked by Kharge to submit their respective reports within December.

Win-ability biggest factor

Congress national president is also considering the names of Cabinet ministers to contest the general election because they stand a better chance to win.

However, many ministers are lobbying for tickets to be given to their children instead. Public Works Minister Satish Jarkiholi, who wants the Belagavi ticket to be handed to his daughter may be asked to contest from the seat instead.

Social Welfare Minister HC Mahadevappa may be asked to contest from Chamarajanagara but he has also been advocating for his son Sunil Bose to be given the ticket.

Seven-time Kolar MP and Food and Civil Supplies Minister KH Muniyappa may be asked to return to the stronghold he lost in 2019. He is also angling for a ministry for his daughter and KGF MLA Roopakala Sashidhar if he obliges.

Other names being mooted are that of Cooperation Minister KN Rajanna who has volunteered to contest from Tumakuru. Minister for Forests and Ecology Eshwar Khandre may be given the Bidar ticket.

BJP MLA from Yellapur Shivaram Hebbar is being considered for the Uttara Kannada ticket if he quits the saffron party. KPCC working president and MLC Saleem Ahmed is being considered for Haveri.

Siddaramaiah’s son Yathindra may be asked to compete from Mysuru-Kodagu against Hindutva ideologue Pratap Simha.

Other “big names” include Chitradurga contenders like H Anjaneya and KPCC working president BN Chandrappa. Ramanatha Rai may be asked to go up against Nalin Kumar Kateel in Dakshina Kannada.

Moreover, former Karnataka State Commission for Backward Classes (KSCBC) Chairman K Jayaprakasha Hegde may be asked to take on Shobha Karandlaje from UdupiChikkamagaluru.

It would be curious to see Rajya Sabha MP Mallikarjun Kharge contests from Kalaburagi, a seat he lost in 2019. Currently, Bengaluru Rural MP DK Suresh is the only Congressman from Karnataka in the Lok Sabha.

After the 135 seat victory in the Assembly polls in May, the party is looking to up its tally to at least 20 out of a possible 28.