Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru
Bengaluru, Mar 21: The final list of Congress candidates for the Lok Sabha has been released, putting an end to speculations about the candidature for the Dakshina Kannada and Udupi-Chikkamagaluru constituencies. Padmaraj Ramaiah, a protege of veteran Congressman Janardhan Poojary, will contest against Capt Brijesh Chowta of the BJP in the Dakshina Kannada Lok Sabha arena, while former minister and chairman of the Karnataka Backward Classes Commission, K Jayaprakash Hegde, has been pitted against Kota Srinivas Poojary in the Udupi-Chikkamagaluru constituency.
About Padmaraj Ramaiah:
Padmaraj R speaks with a smile and listens to the grievances of the people. He is known for his sober habits and is guided by the principles of Brahmashree Narayana Guru. He is deeply devoted to the Kudroli Gokarnanatha temple and has taken on the responsibility of its management since a young age, working tirelessly for its growth day and night.
Born as the second son to H M Ramayya and Lalitha couple in Baloor, a small village in Mudigere taluk, Chikkamagaluru district, Padmaraj was exceptionally bright like his older brother, heart specialist Dr. Purushotham R. He completed his primary, high school, and degree education in Chikkamagaluru district, pursued his B.A. at Madanthyar Sacred Heart College, and obtained his law degree from SDM College. In 1995, he began his law practice under the mentorship of former Union Finance Minister Janardhan Poojary.
Four years later, he established his own office at Ballalbagh. Following the advice of senior advocate P. Gangadhar, he became a member of the Billavara union. Though not officially affiliated with any political party, he actively supported Janardhan Poojary, a proud leader of the Billava community, and played a pivotal role in the renovation of the Kudroli Gokarnanatheshwara temple during elections.
Despite his youth, his name was proposed for the Kudroli Gokarnanatheshwara managing committee during a temple committee meeting. He became a devoted disciple of Janardhan Poojary, who served as the treasurer of the temple.
During the Covid pandemic, he was like a godsend for the poor, personally participating in Annadana (food distribution) for nearly 1,000 poor, migrant workers, and destitute individuals. He distributed groceries through the Beladingalu Foundation during the second lockdown, contributing 300 quintals of rice.
Padmaraj's parents provided a good education for their three children, and while his elder brother, R Purushotham, became a heart specialist at the A J Hospital, Padmaraj immersed himself in social work. He renovated the house of an Auto Cooker bomb victim, Purushotham Poojary from Ujjodi, and constructed houses for five underprivileged families through the Beladingalu Foundation, without any discrimination.
He serves as the honorary advisor of Yuvavahini Kendra Samithi and as the district convener of J P Narayanaswamy Prathistana. He has received accolades across the state for his philanthropic endeavors, providing free legal assistance to the poor as a notary, and supporting the wedding of underprivileged girls, offering financial aid for medical treatment, and providing scholarships to needy students.
He has been a vocal advocate for the principles of Narayana Guru and recently campaigned for his ideals through a tableau.
Padmaraj is deeply concerned about the youth, often inviting those addicted to vices to abandon their habits and seek a better path.
His name was previously considered for candidacy during the 2019 assembly elections but was ultimately passed over in favor of sitting MLA J R Lobo.
List includes 56 candidates from 8 states
The Congress party's third list comprises 56 candidates from eight states, including its leader in the Lower House, Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, from Baharampur in West Bengal.
The list includes candidates for both seats in Arunachal Pradesh, 11 from Gujarat, 17 from Karnataka, seven from Maharashtra, five each from Rajasthan and Telangana, eight from West Bengal, and one from Puducherry.
The party also announced that it is leaving the Sikar seat in Rajasthan for the CPI-M.
A large number of relatives of prominent party leaders and recent entrants figures in the list.
Satish Jarkiholi's daughter, Laxmi Hebbalkar's son, Mallikarjun Kharge's son-in-law get tickets
Other prominent names in the list include Chhatrapati Shrimant Shahu Maharaj from Kolhapur and Praniti Sushilkumar Shinde, the daughter of former Union Minister Sushilkumar Shinde, from Solapur (SC) (both Maharashtra); Priyanka Jarkiholi, daughter of Karnataka PWD Minister Satish Jarkiholi (Chikkodi), Mrunal Hebbalkar, son of Women and Child Welfare Minister Laxmi Hebbalkar (Belagavi), and Radhakrishna, son-in-law of Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, from Gulbarga (SC) (all Karnataka); former Arunachal Chief Minister Nabam Tuki (Arunachal West), and former Puducherry Chief Minister Ve. Vaithilingam (Puducherry), and former West Bengal party chief Pradeep Bhattacharya (North Kolkata).
In Telangana, the Congress has fielded three leaders who had recently switched to the party from the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS).
BRS MLA Danam Nagender, who joined the party on March 17, has been named as the candidate from Secunderabad Lok Sabha constituency. Ranjith Reddy, the sitting BRS MP from Chevella who too joined the Congress on March 17, will seek re-election from the same constituency on a Congress ticket this time.
BRS legislator Patnam Mahender Reddy’s wife and Vikarabad ZP Chairperson Sunitha, who joined the party last month, will contest from the Malkajgiri constituency.
Her candidature from Chevella was withheld at the last minute.
(With inputs from IANS)