Congmen from N-K'taka protest seeking tickets for sitting MLAs

The dissidence in the Congress, over the MLAs and aspirants of Congress tickets not being nominated as candidates in Siraguppa and Hanagal in North Karnataka, spilled over up to the Mysuru residence of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah at TK Layout in the city on Tuesday morning.

Supporters of Siraguppa MLA B M Nagaraj and Hangal MLA Manohar tahsildar staged separate protests in front of the CM’s residence. They shouted slogans against the Congress party, the party high command and also the CM. “What was the need to deny party nomination to sitting MLAs? Is this not against the aspirations of the voters of their respective constituencies? We will stage the dharna till the party tickets are issued to our MLAs,” they said.

Siddaramaiah tried to neglect them and get into his car while leaving his house for campaigning in Varuna constituency. This enraged the agitators. They laid a siege to the car and shouted slogans against him. They said, if they do not get justice, they would disrupt campaigning by Siddaramaiah in his constituency.

BJP protests

Meanwhile, a BJP ticket aspirant and sitting MLA Thippeswamy from Molakalmur met Siddaramaiah at his residence. He is believed to have sought a Congress ticket to contest against former minister B Sriramulu. However, Siddaramaiah has expressed his helplessness as the Congress ticket has already been announced to Dr B Yogesh Babu and he is also a winnable candidate.

Protests were also held by BJP members in front of the party office at Ittigegud near Sri Chamarajendra Zoological Gardens in the city on Tuesday morning. Supporters of BJP ticket aspirant from Narasimharaja Assembly constituency B M Nataraj gathered in front of the BJP office and shouted slogans against the BJP leaders for not considering his candidature. The party ticket has been issued to former mayor Sandesh Swamy (Sathish), who recently defected to the BJP as his earlier party JD(S) declared Abdullah Azeez as its candidate. They also blocked the road for some time, resulting in disruption of vehicular traffic.