The Hindu : Karnataka News : An uphill task for all parties

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Wednesday, Mar 12, 2008
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Karnataka

Karnataka

An uphill task for all parties

Vishwa Kundapura

Simmering discontent among Congress workers
The situation is not different in JD (S) and BJP

KOLAR: Battered by factionalism, all the major political parties in Kolar district are facing an uphill task of setting their houses in order with elections to the Legislative Assembly round the corner. Before facing the people they need to address their internal problems first, it was felt.

As the number of aspirants for the contest is growing, the parties, including the Congress, the Janata Dal (Secular) and the Bharatiya Janata Party, are finding it difficult to overcome the simmering discontent among their workers.

The situation in the Kolar Assembly segment alone seems enough to prove the disarray the parties are in. All the parties are witnessing internal bickering and it (bickering) has reached its pinnacle with the aspirants already lobbying for ticket.

In fact, the disappearance of the Vemgal segment due to the reorganisation of constituencies following the recommendations of the Kuldip Singh Commission for Delimitation of Constituencies has added to the woes of the faction-ridden political outfits here. This is more so in the case of the Congress as both Kolar and Vemgal segments were represented by it in the previous Assembly.

While K. Srinivas Gowda represented Kolar constituency, C.B. Krishna Byregowda held the Vemgal seat.

With the removal of Vemgal constituency from the electoral map of the State, Mr. Krishna Byregowda has been “displaced”, and considering his stature as a budding parliamentarian, the Congress feels compelled to rehabilitate him.

“Either myself or Mr. Krishna Byre Gowda will be given party ticket in Kolar,” Mr. Srinivas Gowda said at a public function recently.

Although it appears to be an act of solidarity with the young leader, it has been construed as a wise political strategy by Mr. Srinivas Gowda to prevent his political betenoire Varthur Prakash from securing party ticket. However, Mr. Prakash, a close confidant of senior Congress leader, Siddaramaiah, seems unmoved by this game plan.

The Congress was in such a mess that it could not hold the Janandolan Samavesha in the district. However, MLC V.R. Sudarshan exuded confidence that the internal differences will be sorted out before the elections.

Divided house

The situation in the Janata Dal (S) and the BJP too is not different. The Janata Dal (S) has been a divided house since the former MLA, K. Venkatashiva Reddy, was made president of the district unit. The former Minister, R. Srinivas, opposed this appointment inviting the wrath of the party chief H.D. Deve Gowda.

As far as the elections are concerned, there are two strong contenders for Janata Dal (S) ticket.

They are the former zilla panchayat vice-president, M.S. Anand, and a prominent leader from the Vemgal belt, K. Gopalkrishna.

However, Mr. Deve Gowda has reportedly thrown cold water on the aspirations of several contenders here by saying that a Muslim will be fielded from Kolar constituency.

The emergence of Sonne Gowda on the political scene of Kolar has reportedly created fissures in the BJP, a party which claims to be a disciplined political outfit.

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