Karnataka Apex Bank president election called off as BJP, Congress candidates withdraw

Bengaluru: The presidential election of the Karnataka State Cooperative Apex Bank was called off on Thursday amid speculation that the Congress high command was not in favour of senior lawmaker and former Cooperation Minister K N Rajanna contesting for the top post.

The election was called off as the two other contenders - BJP leader Belli Prakash and Congress MLC Sharanagouda Patil Bayyapur - have withdrawn their nominations in the last moment.

As there were no candidates in the fray the election was called off.

However, this lead to speculation with Rajanna’s supporters alleging involvement of Congress high command. Reacting to speculation that Congress General Secretary Randeep Singh Surjewala had sent a missive, Rajanna’s son MLC Rajendra Rajanna said, “Surjewala doesn’t have much knowledge about the cooperative sector.”

The sources also said that, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah had convinced Belli Prakash and  Sharanagouda Bayyapur to withdraw their nominations.

Belli Prakash had contested for presidential position and Sharanagouda for vice-president’s post. “As there were no other contenders in the race, they both would have been elected unanimously. Hence they have been convinced to withdraw the nominations,” said a source.

Meanwhile, as the Congress party’s strategy to elect the Apex Bank president unopposed did not work out on Thursday, by evening the party leaders have drafted a new formula.  

As some directors stood in support of Rajanna, while some directors supported Legislative Council member S Ravi.

To avoid conflict between the two groups and to make the unopposed election smooth, a new formula has been derived, restricting  those who have already served as president earlier from contesting again.

As per the new formula explained by sources, Rajanna, who has already been Apex Bank president twice, will
certainly remain out of the race.  Congress sources have revealed that the final luck will be for S Ravi or Shivaram Hebbar.

Meanwhile, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah reacting to it and said, “I was not the one who stopped Apex bank elections, it was the election officer.”