However, in what is a first, the Congress is fielding five women in Karnataka for the Lok Sabha elections.
Congress yet to announce candidature for the Kolar seat. (supplied)
With 2024 Lok Sabha elections barely a few weeks away, the Congress’ Central Election Committee (CEC) has finalised candidates for several constituencies, including 17 seats for Karnataka.
However, amid a nationwide clamour against “dynasty politics”, eight of these candidates are likely to be relatives of Congress party leaders.
For two successive days ending Wednesday, 20 March, the Congress convened its CEC meeting under the leadership of party president Mallikarjun Kharge to finalise nominees for the Lok Sabha elections at its headquarters in Delhi.
The Congress’ third list of candidates is likely to feature candidates for the 17 seats for Karnataka — four seats are still under deliberations. At least five of the candidates considered for the seats are children of ministers in the state Cabinet.
In the first list, Congress announced nominees for seven seats for Karnataka.
In a first, the party is fielding five women nominees for the Lok Sabha elections in Karnataka. Additionally, over 50 percent of the nominees are considerably younger — aged between 30 and 50 years.
After reports emerged that Minister for Sugars and Textiles Shivananda Patil’s daughter was being given a ticket from the Bagalkot seat, dissent broke out within the party as a section of party workers opposed the decision to field an outsider.
Meanwhile, Karnataka Pradesh Conress Committee (KPCC) chief and Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar defended tickets being given to the kith and kin of Congress leaders in Karnataka.
Minister for Public Works Satish Jarkiholi’s daughter Priyanka Jarkiholi will reportedly be contesting the Lok Sabha elections from Chikkodi, while Minister for Women and Child Welfare Laxmi Hebbalkar’s son Mrunal Hebbalkar’s name has been finalised for the Belagavi seat.
Minister for Forests Eshwar Khandre’s son Sagar Khandre is being fielded from Bidar. Minister for Sugar and Textiles Shivananda Patil’s daughter Samyuktha Patil from Bagalkot, and Minister for Transports Ramalinga Reddy’s daughter and former MLA Sowmya Reddy from Bangalore South are reportedly finalised as candidates.
Apart from these, other relatives of senior Congress leaders have also reportedly been considered for tickets.
AICC chief Mallikarjun Kharge’s son-in-law Radha Krishna Doddamani is expected to be contesting from the Gulbarga seat.
Minister for Mines and Geology SS Mallikarjun’s wife Prabha Mallikarjun is being fielded from Davanagere.
Former Rajya Sabha’s deputy chairperson K Rahaman Khan’s son and AICC secretary Mansoor Khan is expected to contest from Bengaluru Central.
Former MP Dr Jayaprakash Hegde is expected to contest from the Udupi-Chikkamagaluru seat, while Institute for Transformation of Karnataka Chairman and former Rajya Sabha member MV Rajeev Gowda will take the field from the Bengaluru North seat.
KPCC working president BN Chandrappa is expected to contest the Lok Sabha elections from Chitradurga.
Congress MLA Raghavendra Hitnal’s brother Rajashekar Hitnal will contest from the Koppal seat. KPCC spokesperson M Lakshman will fight from the Mysore seat.
KPCC chief and Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar defended the party’s decision to prioritise the relatives of senior party leaders as nominees for several seats for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.
Shivakumar told reporters in Delhi on Wednesday: “There is a difference between new candidates and those who already worked in the political system. It is the same in all families and is being practised across the country.”
He added: “It is for the first time ever that five women have been given tickets, and more than 50 percent of the tickets have been to the youths, who are educated and intelligent. It’s a big resolution in the history of the Congress’ Karnataka unit.”
Shivakumar also said: “There are strong people behind everyone. There is accountability for everyone. It is on their shoulders to take everyone together and ensure victory.”
While the Congress has finalised the names for 17 Lok Sabha seats in Karnataka, deliberations are said to be underway to pick the efficient nominee for the remaining seats.
The party is yet to finalise names for Ballari, Dharwad, Chikkaballapura, Raichur (ST ), Kolar, and Chamarajanagar seats.
On condition of anonymity, a minister in the Karnataka Cabinet told South First: “The party finalised names for 17 seats in the CEC meetings held on Tuesday and Wednesday. In the remaining seats, there are multiple strong contenders. In few seats, there are other issues.”
The Congress leader added: “Minister KH Muniyappa is demanding a ticket for his relatives in Kolar, while some of the local leaders are not in tune with it. In the Ballari (ST) seat, minister B Nagendra is demanding a ticket for his brother, while the party is keen to field either Sandur MLA E Tukaram or his daughter.”
The minister continued: “In Chamarajanagar, the party is keen to field Minister for Social Welfare Dr HC Mahadevappa, but he wants a ticket for his son. There are similar challenges in other seats as well. The party is considering its surveys, opinions of local leaders, and other equations while finalising candidates,”
On why the kith and kin of Congress leaders — including five ministers — had been given a ticket, he pointed out: “The party has conducted surveys at various stages and considered other factors — including the opinion of local MLAs and district in-charge ministers — while finalising names for each seat.”
He added: “Importantly, all of them are youngsters except Praha Mallikarjun. Among these nominees, most have worked with or engaged in the party’s affairs since a young age. Various other factors came into play. The party feels that they are the right choice and winnable candidates.”
On Kharge’s candidacy, he said: “Mallikarjun Kharge is the party chief. He has more responsibilities and has to tour across the country for poll campaigning. He will not be able to concentrate much on his own seat. Considering all these factors, the high command has asked Kharge not to contest the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.”
He added: “Moreover, Radhakrishna is the one who looks after the constituency in the absence of Kharge. He has a good rapport with the people. He has successfully managed election responsibilities for Kharge in his seat and played a key role in his political life. Hence, the party felt he was the ideal candidate for Gulbarga.”
(Edited by Arkadev Ghoshal)
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