Congress workers turn violent over list delay
Yeddyurappa urges BJP Palike ticket aspirants not to rebel
Factionalism, confusion and inaction. Less than 24 hours before the Monday deadline for filing of nomination papers ends, the State Congress failed to declare the final list of its candidate for the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike polls till late Sunday night.
To make matters worse, Congress ticket aspirants went on the rampage at a Bannerghatta farmhouse where party leaders had gathered to finalise the list.
NSUI supporters resorted to violence and sit-ins and loud sloganeering when they sensed that party leaders, including Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) chief R V Deshpande, were taking undue time to declare the list.
The scene in the ruling BJP camp was no different as the anti-Somanna faction, mainly from Azadnagar ward, took to the streets protesting against the allotment of ticket to newcomers. Hectic parleys were held in the course of Saturday to finalise the names of candidates for the remaining 44 BBMP wards, including several wards under Govindarajnagar and Vijaynagar Assembly segments.
The discontent in the party even prompted Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa to urge party workers not to rebel. “Being the ruling party, the number of aspirants are more. All cannot be given tickets. Those who do not get nomination will be given other responsibilities in the party,” he said.
Congress sources said that the names of nearly 38 candidates were finalised on Saturday while the rest were being scrutinised. Prospective candidates and their supporters in hundreds blocked the gateway to the farmhouse, as every vehicle entering and leaving the farmhouse was stopped by nomination hopefuls. A section of NSUI supporters pelted stones at the farmhouse, damaging its gates, demanding ticket for NSUI City president Prabhakar Reddy.
But before the incident could throw the party’s nomination process out of gear, Congress leaders stepped out of their closed-door meeting to pacify the NSUI activists.
Later a platoon of the District Armed Reserve (DAR) police was deployed to secure the place and prevent any untoward incident. Party leaders in charge of ticket distribution said in private that given the large number of nomination aspirants, it would be unlikely that Reddy would be obliged.
The incident threw the entire selection process out-of-gear as the agitation was on the verge of turning violent. Senior party leaders stepped out of the meeting to pacify the NSUI students and their leader. Later, a platoon of DAR and police Bandobast was provided on the spot. Senior party leaders state that while the party could consider a ticket to the NSUI president, it was highly impossible, given the large number of aspiring candidates already being finalised.
By afternoon, it was the turn of the Youth Congress to stage a sit-in protest at the farmhouse gates. “While they need our support on polls day, it seems they want to ignore our voices during ticket time,” said Karnataka Youth Congress general secretary Chetan Gowda. Frustrated Congress workers vented their anger, holding their leaders responsible for “playing joot atta” (hide and seek).
“We have been trying to lobby for a Youth Congress activist from Laggere for the past three months. It is all due to the D K Shivkumar faction who is pushing for his candidates,” said a disappointed worker. Even women ticket seekers thronged the farmhouse, trying to ensure they too got nomination to contest on the reserved quota.
Siddaramaiah besieged at farmhouse
Opposition leader Siddaramiah, who came to a farmhouse in the City on Sunday morning, was confronted by frustrated and angry Congress workers, reports DHNS. They laid siege to his vehicle before the senior leader assured them of some respite. Siddaramiah was in the farmhouse till late evening to finalise the list of candidates for the BBMP elections.
