Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru (SP)

Bengaluru, Jan 27: In a new twist to the high drama unfolding about allotment of tickets for assembly bypoll from Hebbal constituency here, in which issuance of 'B' form to Byrathi Suresh was being dubbed as bygone conclusion because of the fact that chief minister (CM), Siddaramaiah, had thrown his weight solidly behind Suresh, Congress party took a surprising decision to field Rehman Sharief, grandson of veteran Congress leader and former union minister, Jaffer Sharief from here.

The camp loyal to the CM was almost certain of being able to secure party ticket to Byrathi Suresh. With this, it is being analyzed, the party has conveyed a strong signal to the CM that no one would be allowed to take unilateral decision within state Congress.

There were no surprises relating to two other bypolls. While the party has chosen Rajashekhar Patil for Devadurga, it has given its nod for fielding Rahim Khan from Bidar. These two candidatures have been on expected lines.

Rehman Sharief (File photo)

In choosing Sharief, a fissure has appeared in the state Congress, exposing two factions working against each other. Siddaramaiah had been making all out efforts to ensure that Byrathi Suresh, who belongs to his caste, gets party nod, although there was strong resentment against this move by Congress loyalists. It is said that dramatic development in denying ticket to Byrathi happened because of ganging up of party leaders like Mallikarjun Kharge, B K Hariprasad and Oscar Fernandes against the CM's overtures, and also the fact that Ghulam Nabi Azad, Ahmed Patel and other top Muslim leaders firmly backed the candidature of Sharief.

If party leaders are to be believed, the party high command had given its nod to field Byrathi Suresh on Monday evening. In charge of Congress affairs in Karnataka, Digvijay Singh, had forwarded a list containing a name each for the above three constituencies including Byrathi Suresh to party's national president, Sonia Gandhi. As the party normally accepts the recommendations of the in-charge of state party affairs, Digvijay was confident that Byrathi would get the ticket, and accordingly, he had dropped broad hints that the three candidates recommended by him would be fielded on behalf of the party. But the leadership, by reversing his recommendation, has caused loss of face for Digvijay too, sources feel.

As per information, Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee president had signed B forms prepared in the names of Byrathi Suresh, Rajashekhar Nayak and Rahim Khan. But once Digvijay made the decision known, the camp opposing CM's move began pressurizing the concerned to replace Byarathi. In a late night development, sources said, a prominent Muslim leader from Gujarat talked to Ahmed Patel and Ghulam Nabi Azad, pressurizing them to choose Jaffer Sharief's grandson as party candidate from Hebbal, as otherwise wrong signals will go to Muslim community, this being a constituency with Muslim dominance.

When the party high command contacted state leaders, Kharge, Oscar and Hariprasad too opposed issuance of ticket to Byrathi, it is said. They pointed out that the party had fielded a Muslim candidate from Hebbal last time, Byrathi does not belong to this constituency and he has not been a Congress member, and in the legislative council election, he had defeated the candidate fielded by Congress. Byrathi came to be known in Congress circles after Siddaramaiah became CM, not before. Byrathi banks on money power and caste, but his caste does not have decisive presence in this constituency. Byrathi has already been publicly claiming that he has been allotted party ticket, and supporting him would emit wrong signals, these leaders opined.

It is said that on Tuesday, Byrathi had prepared to resign from his membership of legislative council, when the chief minister, who was trying hard to get ticket to him, was asked by central leadership of the party to advise Byrathi to wait till Tuesday evening. Once the leadership took a decision to field Sharief, it refused to yield to pressure brought in by the CM to reverse the decision.