Bangalore: KPCC Presidentship – Who Will Get Nod?
Daijiworld Media Network – Bangalore (SP)
Bangalore, Sep 6: As per the schedule published by the All India Congress Committee, nominations by the aspiring candidates for the post of the state presidentship of the party have to be filed on the 12th or 13th of this month.
The election is set to be held on September 17. However, it is gathered that the election is likely to be deferred because of the fact of the by election is being held for Gulbarga South and Kadur assembly constituencies on September 13.
The Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee has requested the party central leaders to put off the election by a few days, citing the upcoming by election, and it has received favourable signals for the request. At the same time, there are doubts about the very holding of the election, as the state leaders, as in the past, are likely to decide to vest national president of the party, Sonia Gandhi, with the power to choose Deshpande’s successor, to avoid confrontation between state level leaders, as in the past.
It is learnt that over ten candidates have evinced keen interest to bag the coveted post. There have been lobbies from different caste groups, putting forward their own permutations and combinations. While Okkaliga and Lingayats have been staking claims to wrest the post, there are many who argue that choosing a Lingayat candidate can effectively counter the pro-Yeddyurappa wave witnessed among the Lingayats. Mallikarjun Kharge and Dharam Singh are also in favour of making a Lingayat candidate the KPCC president, it is gathered. There is also a faction which strongly has been seeking the post to a candidate from scheduled caste. Some highly placed sources even speculate that the election for the post of the state Congress president might be put off till the conclusion of the taluk and zilla panchayat elections being held in November this year.
While names of Shamanur Shivashankarppa, Allam Veerabhadrappa and Veeeranna Mattikatti have emerged from the Lingayat camp, working president of the party, D K Shivakumar, appears to be leading a list of aspirants from Okkaliga community. Shivakumar, besides lobbying hard for the post of the president, has also issued a statement openly, laying bare his mind. R V Deshpande also is interested to continue in his office. From the scheduled caste, names of Dr G Parameshwar and minister for state in the union railway ministry, K H Muniyappa, are making the rounds. There has been a separate lobby of young legislators, who have been pressing for the election of a young president for the state unit to infuse fresh blood and rejuvenate the organizational activities. MLAs, M B Patil and Appaji Nadagouda, are the aspirants from this group, it is gathered.
It is not easy for the central leadership to choose a candidate from among the aspirants, particularly so as it wants to bring back the lost glory of the party in a state presently ruled by the BJP. The leaders may have to carefully make the choice, balancing a tight rope walk of hurting no one and selecting a candidate who is acceptable for the majority.