The trend of MLAs trying to push their relatives into the Legislative Council elections continues unabated. It seems to be prevalent across North Karnataka.
On Monday, the Congress released its list of candidates for the Council polls from the local bodies constituencies. Among others, it included the names of Bheemanagouda Patil from Bidar, Sharanegouda Bayyapur from Raichur and Channaraj Hattiholi from Belagavi.
Bheemanagouda Patil is the third brother of the influential Humnabad Patil clan to enter politics. The patriarch, Basavaraj Patil Humnabad, had served as a Minister in S.M. Krishna’s Cabinet. The eldest brother Rajashekar Patil is an MLA and another brother Chandrashekar Patil is an MLC.
Sharanegouda Bayyapur’s uncle is an MLA from Kushtagi in Raichur district.
Mr Hattiholi is the younger brother of Lakshmi Hebbalkar, Congress MLA. He and his sister have succeeded in getting the party leadership approve of his candidature, as against claims by senior Congressmen Veerkumar Patil, former MLA and former MLC, and Vivekrao Patil, outgoing MLC.
A similar trend is being witnessed across North Karnataka districts where members of political families seem to occupy seats in both Houses of the legislature. This is also seen across the political spectrum, though a larger number of them are from the Congress, than the BJP.
Lakhan Jarkiholi, youngest of the Jarkiholi brothers, is likely to file his nomination papers on Tuesday, after the BJP did not honour his request to nominate him. If he does so, he will be the fourth one from among the Gokak brothers to enter politics. His brother and BJP MLA Balachandra Jarkiholi had asked the party to nominate Lakhan Jarkiholi as the second candidate. Though Ramesh Jarkiholi, eldest brother, has denied seeking ticket for his brother, he is said to be discreetly in favour of Lakhan Jarkiholi’s candidature.
Chandrakanth Patil, who unsuccessfully contested as the BJP candidate from Gulbarga North constituency in the last byelection, is the son of BJP MLC B.G. Patil.
Pradeep Shettar, MLC from Dharwad district, is the younger brother of Jagadish Shettar, former Chief Minister and BJP leader. Hanumant Nirani, MLC from Bagalkot, is the younger brother of Murugesh Nirani, Minister and BJP leader. Sunilgouda Patil, Congress MLC from Vijayapura, who is seeking re-election, is the brother of M.B. Patil, former minister and Congress MLA.
“MLAs using their clout to push their relatives into the Council is a very dangerous trend and it needs to be opposed. It could damage the sanctity of the Upper House,’’ said Asfaq Ahmed Madaki, political activist and Janata Dal(S) leader.
“Leaders may look at their children and relatives as their natural political heirs. But it very rare that dynasts turn out to be good leaders. In the larger interest of the State, parties should not promote dynastic politics. People too should realise its dangers,’’ he told The Hindu .
Bheemappa Gadad, RTI activist, said that dynastic politics discouraged young, pro-people leaders from aspiring for positions in public life. “Dynasts don’t need to start afresh. They grow because they share the goodwill generated by their elders. In this process, they neglect their public duties and do not focus on building networks of followers and party workers,’’ he said.
Ms. Hebbalkar, however, defended her party’s choice. “It is not surprising that my brother got ticket. He has been working hard to strengthen the Congress at the grassroots level. We had requested senior leaders to support him and they have all unanimously agreed,’’ she said.
