Intense lobbying has begun in the ruling Congress in Karnataka as eight seats have fallen vacant in the Legislative Council. The Congress is all set to secure six of the eight seats.
Out of the vacant seats, elections to three will be held on June 30.
In the nomination category, three seats are vacant and the government has to recommend names to the Governor to fill the vacancies. One seat each from Graduates’ and Teachers’ constituencies is lying vacant.
The Congress would get all three seats in the elections from the Assembly constituency scheduled to be held on June 30. Since the term of three seats would end in different years, poll authorities would hold elections separately for three seats, sources in the State Secretariat told The Hindu.
Three vacancies were created following the resignation of Baburao Chinchansur, R. Shankar, and Laxman Savadi. All three resigned from the Council and contested the Karnataka Assembly elections held last month.
Puttanna (Teachers’ constituency) and Ayanur Manjunath (Graduates’ constituency) too quit the BJP and contested elections on Congress and JD(S) ticket, respectively. Both were defeated. The Election Commission has not yet announced date for holding bypolls in these constituencies.
The term of nominated members of Mohan Kumar Kondajji and P.R. Ramesh ended on May 17, while the term of C.M. Lingappa would end on June 8.
Minister for Minor Irrigation and Science & Technology N.S. Boseraju, who is not a member of either House of the State legislature, is likely to be the first candidate of the Congress.
Chinchansur, Shettar likely
Sources in the party indicated that Mr. Chinchansur, who quit the BJP and contested the Assembly elections but lost to Sharan Gowda of the JD(S) in Gurmitkal constituency, is likely to be the second candidate. The five-time MLA, who served as the Minister in the previous Congress governments, hails from Koli community in Kalaburagi. Keeping an eye on next year’s Lok Sabha elections, the Congress has planned to field Mr. Chinchansur in the June 30 polls, a party functionary said.
Former Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar, who quit the BJP and contested elections on Congress ticket, will be the third candidate. Sources said Mr. Shettar is apparently lobbying hard through his relative and veteran Congress MLA Shamanur Shivashankarappa.
Several youth and Kisan wing leaders argued that the party has been sidelining the youth and Kisan leaders. Their grievance was that the Congress has been neglecting first generation leaders by giving preference to old leaders who have become legislators and and served as Ministers in different governments.
The youth and Kisan wings leaders alleged that the party has been undermining its own Udaipur declaration by denying ticket to youth leaders.
Nomination category
There are three seats lying vacant in the nomination category. Several seniors have begun lobbying to get membership of the Upper House. Senior leader B.L. Shankar, who has been articulating the Congress views in the media and major functions for many years, is the frontrunner. Other leaders lobbying are former Minister Umashree, and Mansur Ali Khan, son of former Union Minister K. Rahman Khan.
Youth leader Basavaraj A.P., who led a group of 25 seers from leading Lingayat mutts to meet former party president Sonia Gandhi in 2016 seeking adequate representation to the youth in the Council, Karnataka Kisan Congress chief Sachin Meega, former Minister Rani Satish, and actor Sadhu Kokila are also aspiring to become members of the Council in the nomination category.
All in the family
Three political families have members in both Houses of the legislature. They are former Minister Praksh Hukkeri (MLC) and his son Ganesh Hukkeri (MLA); Minister M.B. Patil (MLA) and his brother Sunilgouda Patil (MLC); Minister Laxmi Hebbalkar and her brother Channaraj Basavaraj Hattiholi (MLC). Chandrashekar B. Patil and Bheemarao Basavaraj Patil (brothers) are members of the Upper House.
Term of office of MLCs who resigned
Baburao Chinchansur - June 17, 2024
R. Shankar - June 30, 2026
Laxman Savadi - June 14, 2028
Term of nominated members
Mohan Kumar Kondajji and P.R. Ramesh - May 17, 2023
C.M. Lingappa - June 8, 2023
Graduates’ constituency
Ayanur Manjunath - June 21, 2024
Teachers’ constituency
Puttanna - November 11, 2026
