Bengaluru: All three major parties in Karnataka namely the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Indian National Congress(INC) and the Janata Dal-Secular (JDS) have a series of issues to spit venom against one another. But, when it comes to sharing party and power positions only family members, and kin matter the most neglecting the loyal workers toiling day and night for the best interests of the party. In this aspect, there is total unanimity among all the three rival parties with no scope of indifferences with one another.
Congress tops the list: The ruling Congress party is way ahead in accommodating family members for consideration in gifting party tickets to contest the ensuing Parliamentary elections. Six children of sitting ministers have been announced party tickets while another four including brother, sister, wife and brother-in-law are also in the fray. BS Yediyurappa, former chief minister and a BJP strongman continues to be targetted for promoting family interests in the party. BY Vijayendra, his younger son is the state party president while BY Raghavendra, the elder one has been renominated to contest from Shivamogga Lok Sabha constituency. Although the JDS has not declared its candidates for the Hassan, Mandya and Kolar constituencies, it has been allotted by the alliance partner BJP at least two of them will be contested by the family members only.
Dissidence for not getting tickets: There has been a lot of hue and cry among INC and BJP with some leaders not being considered to contest. KS Eshwarappa, former BJP DCM is a prominent one making noise for denial of ticket to his son Kantesh for contesting from Haveri Lok Sabha constituency. Basavaraj Bommai, former party chief minister and reluctant aspirant has been given the BJP ticket to contest from Haveri.
Denial of tickets in a record manner: Perhaps, this is the first time in the state that a record number of sitting MPs' have been dropped by the BJP to get renomination. The number of sitting BJP MPs being tripped makes a big list and the prominent ones include the following: DV Sadanand Gowda (Bengaluru North), V Srinivas Prasad (Chamarajnagar), BN Bache Gowda (Chikkaballapur), Nalin Kumar Kateel (Chikkamagalur-Udupi), Anant Kumar Hegde (North Canara), Ms Mangala Angadi (Belagavi), GM Siddeshwar (Davanagere), Pratap Simha (Mysuru), GS Basavaraju (Tumakuru), Shivakumar Udasi (Haveri), Sanganna Karadi (Koppal), and Y Devendrappa (Ballari). Kolar and Mandya have been parted with the JDS thereby leaving S Muniswamy, sitting BJP MP bereft with his constituency while Ms Sumalata Ambareesh, BJP-supported Mandya MP has lost the battle to get the BJP ticket.
Less uproar in Congress: Interestingly there has been no uproar in the ruling Congress party over more than 10 seats being allotted to children and other family members of the ministers. Ms Veena Kashappanavar, a strong contender for the Bagalkot constituency tried to create a scene with supporters in Bagalkot and Bengaluru. She also rushed to New Delhi with the Panchamasali seer to lobby with Mallikarjun Kharge, AICC President in vain. But, for this solitary incident of open revolt not much dissent has been recorded in the open so far.
Denial of tickets and impact on the polls: The record number of denial of tickets to sitting BJP MPs has raised a storm within the party in a big way like never before. However, whether this action of the high command is bound to make an adverse impact on the poll prospects is the most trending question to all curious onlookers of the state's political developments. If one were to go with the political strength of all those raising the black flag, it appears not much is going to happen to the BJP adversely. There has been enough heartburn among several leaders and some have openly voiced their dissent but what is not for sure is their influence on the voters to tilt the poll tables.
-Manohar Yadavatti
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