Hectic parleys are on for tickets in the Congress ahead of the June 3 Legislative Council elections with leaders belonging to various social groups mounting pressure on the party’s top brass.
Of the seven MLC seats that will face polls on June 3, the Congress can win two. These MLCs will be elected by MLAs.
According to sources, leaders belonging to the Lingayat, Vokkaliga, SC and Christians have laid claim to the tickets.
Apparently, Karnataka Congress president D K Shivakumar and Bangalore Rural MP DK Suresh (his brother) want one ticket for fellow Vokkaliga S P Muddahanumegowda, the former Tumkur MP who had to vacate his seat for JD(S) supremo HD Deve Gowda in the 2019 polls.
Also Read | 20 names shortlisted for MLC polls: Savadi
Former Legislative Council chairperson B L Shankar, also a Vokkaliga, is in the ticket fray as well, sources said.
Under the Lingayat quota, the party may pick senior leader S R Patil or Prabhakar Goud from Ballari. The DK brothers are said to be backing Patil, who was earlier the party’s floor leader in the Upper House.
It is said that the party is getting pressure from Christian leaders for a place. Nivedit Alva and Ivan D’Souza are said to be ticket aspirants.
Although Mansoor Ali Khan, the son of former Rajya Sabha chairman Rahman Khan, is seeking the ticket, the party is unlikely to field a Muslim.
“The view in the party is that Nasser Ahmed (Muslim) and B K Harirprasad (OBC) were given tickets last time. So, the party has to consider a Christian candidate this time,” a source said.
Among women, the incumbent Veena Achaiah is in the race while former radio jockey Lavanya Ballal is a ticket aspirant under the minority Jain quota. Another woman in the fray is Mahila Congress chief Pushpa Amarnath, who is also SC.
When it comes to SC picks, the party is said to be considering someone belonging to the Dalit (Left) such as Mundargi Nagaraj.
Going by sources, the Kharge family appears to be backing Tippanna Kamaknur, a former nominated MLC who hails from Kalaburagi and belongs to the Koli community.
Sources said the party is unlikely to give tickets to incumbents Allum Veerabhadrappa and R B Timmapur.