The suspense over the Congress tickets for Krishnaraja and Chamaraja constituencies in Mysuru city has continued, keeping the multiple claimants for tickets on the edge with the party not announcing the candidates for the two seats in its second list of candidates that was released on Thursday.
There were speculations that the party will announce the candidates for the two constituencies in its second list. It has only cleared the candidate for Chamundeshwari constituency.
Vasu, former MLA, is a ticket aspirant for Chamaraja constituency in Mysuru city. | Photo Credit: File photo
Amidst intense lobbying from multiple ticket aspirants, the party is facing a tough challenge in finalising the candidates and has therefore put off the decision. The party is weighing various factors before zeroing on the candidate amidst possibilities of desertions and rebellions in the constituencies following the decision.
M. K Somashekar, former MLA, is a ticket aspirant for Krishnaraja in Mysuru city. | Photo Credit: File photo
In Krishnaraja, a constituency dominated by Brahmins and Lingayats, former MLA M.K. Somashekar, a staunch follower of former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, former councillor Pradeep Kumar, and Naveen Kumar are lobbying for the Congress ticket.
Harish Gowda is a ticket aspirant for Chamaraja in Mysuru city. | Photo Credit: File photo
In Chamaraja, former MLA Vasu, a loyalist of former Chief Minister and senior Congress leader M. Veerappa Moily, and Harish Gowda, a follower of Mr. Siddaramaiah, are vying for the ticket.
Naveen Kumar is a ticket aspirant for Krishnaraja in Mysuru. | Photo Credit: FILE PHOTO
The Congress, in its first list, announced former Minister and MLA Tanveer Sait as its candidate in Narasimharaja, another city constituency. In the second list, the party has named Mavinahalli Siddegowda, who deserted the JD(S) and joined the Congress recently, as the candidate for Chamundeshwari to take on JD(S) candidate and MLA G.T. Deve Gowda.
Pradeep Kumar is a ticket aspirant for Krishnaraja in Mysuru. | Photo Credit: FILE PHOTO
Barring Chamaraja and Krishnaraja, the Congress has announced candidates for the remaining nine constituencies, including Varuna from where Mr. Siddaramaiah is contesting.
Why is the party delaying finalising the candidates for the two seats? Does the caste factor hold the key for ticket allotment in Krishnaraja? Is the party considering a new face in Chamaraja?
Mr. Vasu, who lost the election in 2018, is making a strong bid for the ticket. Mr. Moily is said to be lobbying for Mr. Vasu, a Vokkaliga. Before the elections were announced, Mr Moily, during his visit to Mysuru, had said Mr. Vasu would get the party ticket.
Mr Vasu’s son Kaveesh Gowda had recently joined the BJP and the son had categorically said that joining the BJP was his personal decision. Mr. Vasu is banking on the works in the constituency as the party MLA during the Siddaramaiah government.
Mr. Harish Gowda, who contested as a JD(S) rebel in 2018 after the party denied ticket to him, later joined the Congress and has been active in the constituency with an eye on fighting the polls as the party nominee. The hectic lobbying by Mr. Vasu and Mr. Harish Gowda has put the party in a bind.
The JD(S) has not announced its candidate for Chamaraja and is keeping a “wait and watch” policy (on developments after the Congress announcing the ticket) though a few, including councillors K.V. Sridhar and S.B.M. Manju, are among the ticket aspirants.
The name of a close aide of former CM H.D. Kumaraswamy is also doing rounds as the party candidate.
A KPCC leader told The Hindu that the party is not delaying announcement the candidates for the two seats but was finalising the nominees constituency-wise in phases after detailed discussion at the screening committee. The party cleared candidates for constituencies that had only one aspirant; cleared names in segments with “lesser competition”; and will soon be announcing the candidates for the remaining constituencies where there are multiple aspirants.
City Congress president R. Murthy said the candidates for Krishnaraja and Chamaraja will be announced in the third list. “The party is weighing all options and it wants to put up strong candidates to wrest the seat from the BJP,” he said.
