Karnataka assembly polls: 3 turncoats on Congress second list, no pick for Kolar yet

BENGALURU: Congress on Thursday released its second list of 41 candidates, including three from rival parties who recently quit as legislators. It also marked a seat in Mandya district for local outfit Sarvodaya Karnataka Party (SKP).
But there was no word yet on the candidate for Kolar, the second seat from where former CM Siddaramaiah wants to contest.He has already been named the candidate for Varuna in Mysuru district.
Sources say Congress’ central election committee (CEC) has left it to AICC member Rahul Gandhi to decide on the issue. Some say Rahul could instruct the 75-year-old former CM to contest only one seat.
The party even scheduled an extension of the CEC meeting to decide on the Kolar seat and 19 others where there is a stiff fight for tickets. “The remaining seats will be decided only after BJP announces its list,” said a functionary.
Two former BJP and one JD(S) legislator, who joined the party recently, were handed tickets. While SR Srinivas, former Gubbi JD(S) MLA, was given the ticket to the same constituency, BJP MLC Baburao Chinchansur was allotted Gurmitkal seat. Chinchansur was elected on a Congress ticket from Gurmitkal twice and from Chittapur thrice.
The ‘ghar wapsi’ of NY Gopalkrishna, former BJP MLA, concluded with Congress handing him the ticket to Molkalmuru, from where he hadwon on a Congress ticket in 2013. Gopalkrishna won from Kudligi on a BJP ticket in 2018.
Former minister Vinay Kulkarni, a Lingayat, was named the candidate for Dharwad Rural seat, a decision that ended speculation that he may be fielded against chief minister Basavaraj Bommai in Shiggaon in Haveri district.
Kulkarni is an accused in the murder of BJP worker Yogeshgouda Goudar and he may have to campaign remotely since the Supreme Court has barred him from entering Dharwad district in connection with the case. He is currently out on bail.
Congress named Bheemasen Chimmannakatti from Siddaramaiah’s current segment of Badami (Bagalkot). Chimmannakatti had stepped aside for Siddaramaiah to contest in 2018, the former CM’s second seat. He had also contested from Chamundeshwari (Mysuru) and lost.
The party also named Vijay Singh, the elder son of late former chief minister Dharam Singh, from Basavakalyan. Vijay is the brother of incumbent Congress Jevargi MLA, Ajay Dharam Singh.
Among others who were allocated tickets are former Congress minister HY Meti, who was forced to resign after a sex scandal in 2016, former social welfare minister H Anjaneya (Holalkere), former labour minister and mining baron Santosh Lad from Kalaghatagi, and former education minister Kimmane Ratnakar from Thirthahalli.
Candidates appear to have been picked with an eye on caste parity. Of the 41, 11 each are from the Lingayat and Vokkaliga communities and three each from Kuruba and Muslim communities. The party also announced tickets for four Scheduled Caste segments, and two more to Scheduled Tribe (ST) communities. Minor communities, including Marathas, Edigas, and Rajputs, have been accorded a seat each.