With back-to-back visits by top leaders of the BJP and the Congress, and seven rebel JD(S) MLAs deciding to join the Congress, political activity has picked up in the State. Senior leaders in the ruling party have commenced lobbying for ticket for their loyalists and kin for the 2018 Assembly elections.
The JD(S) rebel legislators will officially join the Congress soon and they have been introduced to party vice-president Rahul Gandhi by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah in Delhi, with the hope of getting ticket. However, sources in the Congress told The Hindu that the party has not guaranteed ticket to all seven.
It is learnt that the party has not ensured ticket in the reserve (SC) constituency of Pulakeshinagar in Bengaluru to incumbent Akhanda Srinivasa Murthy. Sources said Congress leader in the Lok Sabha M. Mallikarjun Kharge has been supporting the candidature of Prasanna Kumar, who had lost to Mr. Murthy in the 2013 polls. Complicating matters further is the indication that KPCC president G. Parameshwara has plans to migrate to the city and contest from Pulakeshinagar. The KPPC chief lost to Sudhakar Lal of JD(S) in 2013 from Koratagere constituency in Tumakuru district.
The other six rebel JD(S) leaders are expected to get ticket. They are Zameer Ahmed Khan (Chamarajpet); N. Chaluvarayaswamy (Nagamangala); H.C. Balakrishna (Magadi); Bhima Naik (Hagaribommanahalli); Ramesh Bandisiddegowda (Srirangapatna); and Iqbal Ansari (Gangavathi) as there are no strong Congress candidates in these constituencies.
Meanwhile, Ministers and senior leaders too have started lobbying for ticket for their sons and daughters. Mr. Siddaramaiah is almost sure to field his son, Yathindra, either from Chamundeshwari or Varuna constituency. Public Works Minister H.C. Mahadevappa, Law Minister T.B. Jayachandra, Animal Husbandry Minister A. Manju, Legislative Assembly Speaker K.B. Koliwad, former Union Minister Margaret Alva, and former Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman Rahman Khan are lobbying with the party high command to get ticket for their sons in constituencies of their respective districts.
Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy has been lobbying hard to get ticket for his daughter Sowmya Reddy for Jayanagar seat in the city, while K.H. Muniyappa, Kolar MP, is keen on fielding his daughter Roopakala from KGF constituency. Motamma too has been trying to get ticket for her daughter in Kadur constituency of Chikkamagalur.
