After plaint against CM, Cong high command issues fiat over tickets

New Delhi Feb 2: In an apparent move to rein-in Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, the Congress high command has issued a strict instruction to the state leadership not to promise the party ticket (B Form) for the upcoming Assembly elections to any aspirants, without its approval.

The Congress top brass' instruction comes in the wake of complaints from a section of Karnataka Congress leaders that Siddaramaiah was unilaterally declaring the candidates   for the Assembly polls.

"Since the party has already initiated the constituency-wise survey to select winnable candidates, instructions have been given to the state leadership not to assure tickets to aspirants,"   said a senior party leader here.

After getting the survey reports, the Central leadership will hold meetings with state leaders on selecting the candidates, he said.

"Since the Congress high command agreed for state leaders' request to declare at least 100 candidates by the end of February or early March to enable them to start the campaigning early, there is no need for anybody to declare candidates now itself," said the leader.

Earlier, when seven Janata Dal (S) rebel MLAs insisted that the Congress declare them as its candidates for coming Assembly polls, the party top brass rejected their demand and said the tickets will be decided after getting the feedback from the local leadership.

A section of leadership in the state is upset with Siddaramaiah after he declared at a public meeting, his intention to give the ticket to his close aide and Public Works Minister H C Mahadevappa from C V Raman Nagar (SC Reserve) Assembly segment in the Bengaluru city.

Mahadevappa is currently MLA from T Narasipur (SC Reserve) constituency in Mysuru district. Now he is planning to contest from C V Raman Nagar and lobbying for the ticket for his son Sunil Bose to make electoral debut from T Narasipur.

Taking strong exception to the chief minister's move, some state leaders complained to the party top brass saying that this may create confusion among workers as many senior leaders were lobbying for tickets for their children.

Earlier, some leaders urged the high command not to give a free hand to the state unit, demanding that maximum seats should be given to 'loyal' Congressmen instead of new entrants to the party.

There were difference between Siddaramaiah and state Congress chief G Parameshwara on this issue. While Parameshwara was against giving tickets to sons/daughters of senior politicians, the chief minister favoured it saying winnability would be the top criteria. Siddaramaiah is also planning to field his son Dr Yathindra from Varuna Assembly segment.in Mysuru district.