Bidar: Former Chief Minister Dharam Singh’s son and former MLC Vijay Singh has managed to secure a Congress ticket. An influential leader from Kalyana Karnataka tried till the last moment to prevent Vijaysingh from getting a ticket.
He had also threatened party’s senior leaders that he will resign from the party. However, the selection committee has announced a ticket for Vijay Singh, who belongs to the Rajput community, in a bid to ensure social justice.
There was pressure to give the ticket from Basavakalyan constituency to a Lingayat candidate. However, it is not surprising that former MLA Mallikarjun Khuba is contesting from the JD(S) at the last moment. If two Lingayats contest, the votes will be divided. Dharam Singh’s family has the ability to take backward classes, Dalits and minorities into confidence. It is for this reason that Vijay Singh has been given a Congress ticket.
He is considered to be a close associate of AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge and former chief minister Siddaramaiah. Most of the votes of these leaders’ communities will naturally go to the Congress. In Basavakalyan, muslims, kurubas and koli communities have won the candidate for whom they voted at the last minute.
The district has already been given three Lingayats Bhalki, Humanabad and Bidar South and a Muslim in Bidar and a Rajput community in Basavakalyan.
In the Aurad reserved constituency, there is a contest for the Congress ticket between leaders of the Scheduled Left and right communities. Former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s close aide Bhimsenrao Shinde’s name has been dropped at the last moment. In Kalaburagi district, the left community is likely to get a ticket from Aurad as Priyank Kharge has been given a ticket.
A scuffle broke out between supporters of Vijaysingh and Ananddevappa in Basavakalyan over the issue of tickets. The case had gone to the police station. Congress strong ticket aspirant Anand Devappa is yet to make his next move clear.
“I don’t agree with the ticket given to Vijay Singh. Tickets have been given to people from outside the district. I will convene a meeting of my supporters and take a final decision on my next political move,” congress leader Ananda Devappa said.
“The ticket has been given because of the work done by the party organisation. Basavakalyan is a place where all communities get respect. I will get the support of all communities, including basava followers,” said Vijay Singh, the congress’s declared candidate.
