The simmering discontent in both the BJP and the Congress that was brewing over the ticket distribution seems to have come down at least for the public gaze, barring the saffron party’s trouble from its senior leader and former Minister K.S. Eshwarappa.
With the last day for filing nomination papers, for the polling to be held on April 26, ending on Thursday, the electioneering is expected to go on full throttle in the 14 Lok Sabha constituencies that will go to polls first, and the dissidence is expected to decline further. In case of Mr. Eshwarappa, the nomination process is yet to begin in Shivamogga constituency.
Kolar rankles
For the Congress, which witnessed factional fights over the candidate for Kolar, the trouble is not yet fully over. The former Union Minister K.H. Muniyappa, whose attempts to get his son-in-law the ticket were thwarted by the camp led by another Kolar leader K.R. Ramesh Kumar, is learnt to be still sulking, though the factional fights are no longer in the open. At least five Congress lawmakers had threatened to resign if Mr. Muniyappa’s family members were given the ticket.
However, the Congress is learnt to have addressed the trouble in the Bagalkot Lok Sabha constituency with Veena Kashappanavar being made one of the general secretaries of the KPCC. Wife of Hungund MLA Vijayanand Kashappanavar, she was defeated in the 2019 election but had pinned hope this time. “Ms. Veena has also been promised higher responsibilities in the party in the future,” a Congress source said.
Barring Shivamogga, the BJP seems to have stymied the rebellion in its ranks, especially after the visit of Union Home Minister Amit Shah when he held meetings with the disgruntled leaders from various constituencies. While the initial disgruntlement by Mysuru MP Prathap Simha, who has been denied the ticket, has been contained, the dissidence by Holalkere MLA M. Chandrappa and his son over the ticket to the former Minister Govind Karjol in Chitradurga constituency, has also died down. In Chickballapur constituency where the former Minister K. Sudhakar is the BJP nominee, his frosty relations with Yelahanka MLA S.R. Vishwanath have thawed with a breakfast meeting. The Yelahanka legislator, who was trying the seat for his son, was upset over Dr. Sudhakar’s choice.
An uphill task
However, sources say though the dissidence by BJP lawmakers against Union Minister Bhagawant Khuba contesting from Bidar constituency, has not been public, the incumbent MP could face an uphill task. One of the dissident lawmakers, Aurad MLA Prabhu Chavan, who had publicly decried the MP for allegedly trying to defeat him, is still admitted in hospital. In Tumakuru, the former Minister J.C. Madhuswamy, who was an aspirant for the ticket, was conspicuous by his absence when BJP nominee V. Somanna filed his nomination.
The voice of discontent in Belagavi, where the BJP has fielded the former Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar, has also died down. Similarly, in Davangere too, where the former Minister M.P. Renukacharya had opposed the ticket to Gayathri Siddeshwar, wife of incumbent MP G.M. Siddieshwar, discontent is no longer present.
Hegde vs. Kageri
However, BJP continues to face trouble in Uttara Kannada, where incumbent MP Anantkumar Hegde, who has been denied the ticket, has so far not cooperated with the party candidate and former Speaker Vishweshwara Hegde Kageri.
