A dozen mutinies in Karnataka Premium

A dozen mutinies in Karnataka

All the political parties in Karnataka have completed the process of ticket distribution for the 28 Lok Sabha constituencies. The announcement of candidates has led to internal churning in both the ruling Congress and the Opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), although the problems are more pronounced in the BJP.

The BJP, which has 25 MPs and prides itself on the discipline of its cadre, is trying to quell dissidence in more than half a dozen constituencies. The Congress, which has just one MP from Karnataka, is busy dealing with discord in Kolar and Bagalkot.

In the most recent instance, the BJP’s choice of candidate for the Chitradurga constituency in central Karnataka has become a problem. The party nominated former Minister Govind Karjol, a trusted aide of party veteran and former Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa, to contest the seat. Mr. Karjol, who was defeated in the last Assembly election, is seen as an “outsider” since he hails from Bagalkot district in north Karnataka. His candidature has upset the party’s Holalkere legislator, M. Chandrappa, and his son, Raghunandan, who was hoping for a ticket.

In Shivamogga in the hilly Malnad region, BJP veteran leader K.S. Eshwarappa announced his candidature as an independent. This is where Mr. Yediyurappa’s son and incumbent MP B.Y. Raghavendra is contesting. Mr. Eshwarappa took this decision after the party refused nomination for his son K.E. Kantesh from the Haveri Lok Sabha seat for which he has blamed Mr. Yediyurappa.

After denying six-time MP Ananth Kumar Hegde re-nomination, the BJP has been struggling to convince him to support former Speaker and Minister Vishweshwar Hegde Kageri, who has been named as the candidate from Uttara Kannada in the coastal belt.

In Dharwad in north Karnataka, a Veerashaiva-Lingayat dominated constituency, Union Minister Pralhad Joshi is facing a different problem. Several seers from the community have demanded that the BJP replace him, alleging that Mr. Joshi harbours “anti-Veerashaiva/Lingayat” sentiments. The powerful Akhila Bharatha Veerashaiva Mahasabha has also backed their demand and threatened to field a popular seer as an independent who could cut into the BJP’s votes.

Local party workers have also posted on social media criticising the candidature of former Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar from Belagavi and former Minister V. Somanna from Tumakuru. Both these leaders could face non-cooperation from local leaders.