BENGALURU: The Congress high command’s plan to field some of its ministers for the upcoming Lok Sabha polls has drawn mixed response: A few are willing to lap it up as an opportunity while others are reluctant.
The BJP had reaped rich dividends by fielding selected Union ministers in the recently held assembly polls in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh. Apparently inspired by it, Congress is planning to reverse the strategy by fielding ministers in Karnataka in the Lok Sabha in a bid to maximise its tally in the state.
Senior functionaries said the idea is to leverage the popularity of the ministers to win more seats. The move would also help the party in accommodating more ministerial aspirants in the cabinet if some of the sitting ministers move to Delhi. “The high command will consider all possible strategies that would ensure the victory for the party in the Lok Sabha polls. One of the plans is to field a few ministers as candidates. In such a case we may have to abide by the party’s diktat,” said home minister G Parameshwara, whose name is doing rounds for the SC-reserved seat Kolar or Chitradurga.
The state cabinet is a full house with chief minister Siddaramaiah choosing to fill all 34 slots when he took over in May. The other ministerial aspirants are left with no option, because of this, but to wait for the CM to reshuffle the cabinet.
Now, the high command’s new strategy has given them a ray of hope as the party is learnt to have listed not less than 10 ministers as probable candidates. However, not many are enthused. While the likes of Rajanna and Nagendra have shown interest, seniors like Krishna Byre Gowda and Cheluvarayaswamy are resisting it.
A third category of ministers are negotiating the party ticket for their children.
For instance, Jarkiholi, who had contested from Belgaum Lok Sabha bypoll in 2021 and lost narrowly, is said to have been pitching for the seat either for his son or daughter. Mahadevappa is seeking the Chamarajanagar seat for his son. Muniyappa wants the Kolar seat to be given to his son or son-in-law.
“I think I am more suitable for state politics. Let a younger face get the opportunity,” said Ramalinga Reddy. His daughter and former MLA Sowmya Reddy, who lost the assembly polls from Jayanagar, is an aspirant for Bangalore South.
“The process of candidate selection has started. Teams led by ministers had been sent to districts to prepare the list of probables. They have submitted the list to the KPCC president. A meeting on this will be held on January 10,” said KPCC working president Saleem Ahmed.
The BJP had reaped rich dividends by fielding selected Union ministers in the recently held assembly polls in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh. Apparently inspired by it, Congress is planning to reverse the strategy by fielding ministers in Karnataka in the Lok Sabha in a bid to maximise its tally in the state.
Senior functionaries said the idea is to leverage the popularity of the ministers to win more seats. The move would also help the party in accommodating more ministerial aspirants in the cabinet if some of the sitting ministers move to Delhi. “The high command will consider all possible strategies that would ensure the victory for the party in the Lok Sabha polls. One of the plans is to field a few ministers as candidates. In such a case we may have to abide by the party’s diktat,” said home minister G Parameshwara, whose name is doing rounds for the SC-reserved seat Kolar or Chitradurga.
The state cabinet is a full house with chief minister Siddaramaiah choosing to fill all 34 slots when he took over in May. The other ministerial aspirants are left with no option, because of this, but to wait for the CM to reshuffle the cabinet.
Now, the high command’s new strategy has given them a ray of hope as the party is learnt to have listed not less than 10 ministers as probable candidates. However, not many are enthused. While the likes of Rajanna and Nagendra have shown interest, seniors like Krishna Byre Gowda and Cheluvarayaswamy are resisting it.
A third category of ministers are negotiating the party ticket for their children.
For instance, Jarkiholi, who had contested from Belgaum Lok Sabha bypoll in 2021 and lost narrowly, is said to have been pitching for the seat either for his son or daughter. Mahadevappa is seeking the Chamarajanagar seat for his son. Muniyappa wants the Kolar seat to be given to his son or son-in-law.
“I think I am more suitable for state politics. Let a younger face get the opportunity,” said Ramalinga Reddy. His daughter and former MLA Sowmya Reddy, who lost the assembly polls from Jayanagar, is an aspirant for Bangalore South.
“The process of candidate selection has started. Teams led by ministers had been sent to districts to prepare the list of probables. They have submitted the list to the KPCC president. A meeting on this will be held on January 10,” said KPCC working president Saleem Ahmed.