Cong fingers crossed on experiment: 6 women, dozen first-timers

Bengaluru: With six women and at least 12 first-timers in the fray, the Congress is hopeful that its experiment in ticket distribution - notwithstanding the BJP’s barb that children of ministers have been fielded - will yield a good result in Karnataka.

In 2019, the Congress had fielded only one woman. Tickets to six females this time underline the party’s attempt to woo women voters, especially those who are getting benefitted under the five flagship guarantee schemes. 

Sowmya Reddy (Bangalore South), Geetha Shivarajkumar (Shimoga), Samyukta Patil (Bagalkot), Priyanka Jarkiholi (Chikkodi), Dr Anjali Nimbalkar (Uttara Kannada) and Dr Prabha Mallikarjun (Davangere) are hoping to upset the BJP’s applecart. 

“Six women out of 28 is a huge number. And, a lot of candidates are young. People like us are the youth of the country. Our guarantees have had a massive impact among women,” Sowmya, the former Jayanagar MLA, told DH. 

Forest Minister Eshwar Khandre’s son Sagar Khandre (Bidar), the baby-faced 26-year-old is the youngest candidate on the Congress ticket list. 

“In my 40-year political career, this is the first time I’m seeing so many youths, women and new faces for the Lok Sabha elections,” Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar, the Karnataka Congress president, said, adding that the youngsters would flourish as leaders in the future. 

The Congress’ experiment is being seen as an attempt to counter the BJP’s focus on youths, especially by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. 

The experiment also includes giving tickets to persons making their electoral debut: G Kumar Naik (Raichur), Vinod Asooti (Dharwad), M Lakshman (Mysore), Mansoor Ali Khan (Bangalore Central), Venkataramane Gowda (Mandya), Sagar Khandre, Mrinal Hebbalkar (Belgaum), M V Rajeev Gowda (Bangalore North), Prabha Mallikarjun, Padmaraj R (Dakshina Kannada), Samyukta and Radhakrishna Doddamani (Gulbarga). 

If first-timers get Kolar, Chamarajanagar and Chikkaballapur tickets, then the number will rise to 15.

Sowmya, Samyukta, Priyanka, Sagar and Mrinal are children of sitting ministers, prompting the BJP to point out that family politics is writ large in the Congress’ list. “God help Congress workers. Only a handful of seats don’t have children of leaders as candidates,” BJP general secretary V Sunil Kumar jeered. 

Congress, however, is unfazed. “Which party doesn’t have family politics? Isn’t it there in BJP and JD(S)? Likewise, it’s there in Congress, too,” Public Works Minister Satish Jarkiholi, whose daughter Priyanka is in the fray, said. 

Moreover, Congress is holding ministers accountable in ensuring their children’s victory.