Karnataka Cong faces infighting, tantrums and boycotts

With only weeks to go before the state assembly elections, the Congress’s Karnataka unit is desperately trying to hush up its perpetually squabbling leaders.

Senior Congress leaders like Siddaramaiah and Dr Parameshwar have directly appealed to their party workers to fight the elections in a united manner, but they are in no mood to listen.

Congress General Secretary Madhusudan Mistry has been asked by party Vice President  Rahul Gandhi to obtain a feedback from the district unit chiefs. Tickets in most constituencies are being issued based on this feedback. This process has irked many Congressmen who believe that Mistry might give a report in favour of candidates of his choice.

Actor and rebel leader Ambareesh is making matters worse for the Congress. He was part of the first list of candidates and had been given a ticket from Mandya. But Ambareesh has threatened to boycott the elections as a candidate of his choice was not fielded from Srirangapatana.

L Ravi, the candidate from Melkote constituency and a staunch supporter of Ambareesh, has also threatened to withdraw.

The party is yet to finalise candidates for nine constituencies -- Rajarajeshwarinagar, Hebbal, Belgaum South, Davangere North, Bhadravati, Kaup, Chikkaballapur, Malur and Puttur.

Former ministers H M Revanna and C K Jaffer Sharrief both have their eyes on Hebbal constituency. Sharrief is seeking a ticket for his grandson Rehman.

Both former minister C M Ibrahim and sitting Member of Legislative Assembly Sangameshwar are seeking a ticket for Bhadravathi constituency.
 
Meanwhile, the BJP, which has witnessed considerable infighting in the five years it has been in power, has decided to keep away all tainted leaders.

The leaders who have been left out in the cold include Katta Subramanya Naidu, Krishnaiah Shetty and Y Sampangi.

Though all three leaders are popular and expected to win in their respective constituencies, the BJP may not give them election tickets due to the corruption charges against them.

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