Discontent brewing in Karnataka Congress after second list of poll candidates released

BENGALURU: Discontent seems to be brewing within a section of the Karnataka Congress, following the party's announcement of its second list of candidates for the May 10 Assembly polls, as some ticket aspirants who did not make it have openly expressed displeasure.

While some have decided to quit the party, a couple of them have said they would discuss things with their supporters and decide on their future course of action.

Former MLC Raghu Achar who was denied the Chitradurga ticket said he was joining the JD(S) on April 14, and would ensure that the party won all the seats in Chitradurga district.

JD(S) leader T A Saravana met Achar today, following which the latter said he had not placed any demand but would "give back" to the Congress for the insult caused to his self-esteem, and ensure that it got defeated across the district.

Earlier in the day, K C Veerendra (Pappy), whom the Congress has given a ticket to, met Achar, and sought his cooperation, to which he said, "It's too late. I have already announced about filing nomination on April 17. Pappy is a good friend, I wish him the best."

According to party sources, another ticket aspirant from Chitradurga S K Basavarajan has decided to resign from the party and call a meeting of his supporters and well-wishers to decide on what to do next.

Ticket aspirant from Mandya K K Radhakrishna, speaking to reporters after meeting his supporters, said he would travel across the constituency for a week and then come up with his next move.

Stating that he was still in the party, he said he would be meeting party leaders and his supporters. "I will call a meeting of my supporters after April 13 and announce my decision."

The Congress has given a ticket to P Ravikumar from Mandya.

Aspirant from Kadur YSV Datta too has called a meeting of his supporters on Sunday to chart a course of action. He has written a letter to supporters in which he said "insult has been done to our self-esteem."

It was widely expected that the Kadur seat would go to Datta, a senior politician who had switched to the Congress from JD(S) recently, but the ticket was given to Anand K S. Datta is considered to have been one of the close confidants of former Prime Minister and JD(S) patriarch H D Deve Gowda.

The Congress released its second list of 41 candidates on Thursday.

Meanwhile, Congress MLA of Pulikeshinagar R Akhanda Srinivasa Murthy, who is among the few sitting legislators for whose constituency the ticket has not been announced so far, met Congress Legislature Party leader Siddaramaiah who has returned from Delhi.

"I'm confident I will get a ticket as I was the one who got the highest votes in the last election in the state.... You should ask them (party leadership) as to why the delay.... I'm confident it will be announced in the next list. Our leader has said it will get cleared," Murthy said.

Shri Immadi Siddarameshwara Swamiji of 'Akhila Karnataka Bhovi Gurupeetha' also met Siddaramaiah and sought tickets for aspirants from the Bhovi community. "There is fear that social justice has not been done to the Bhovi community in ticket distribution...I have urged (the party) to give at least 7 tickets to the community representatives like last time," he said after the meeting.

Congress has so far announced candidates for 166 of the total 224 seats, and is yet to finalise the list for the remaining 58 seats.