The Congress central election committee on March 30 approved the candidature of K.V. Gowtham, president of the Bengaluru Central District Congress Committee, for Kolar (SC) constituency for the ensuing Lok Sabha elections.
With this, the Congress has announced candidates in all 28 Lok Sabha constituencies in Karnataka.
The AICC delayed the announcement of the candidate in Kolar constituency owing to factionalism in the Kolar District Congress Committee.
Mr. Gowtham, former State Youth Congress and NSUI office-bearer, belongs to the SC ‘left’ sect.
Denial of ticket to Chikka Peddanna, son-in-law of Minister K.H. Muniyappa, is seen as a major political setback to the latter.
The candidature of Mr. Gowtham is also seen as a setback to a faction led by former legislative Assembly Speaker K.R. Ramesh Kumar and five legislators from the Kolar district, who demanded a candidate from the ‘right’ sect of the SC. The faction led by Mr. Muniyappa opposed nominating a candidate belonging to the SC ‘right’ sect.
The Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) recommended the name of Mr. Gowtham following discussions with ‘rebel’ legislators from the district and seven-time MP Mr. Muniyappa. The discussions were led by Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy CM D.K. Shivakumar, who is also the KPCC president, on March 28.
