Muslim legislators in the Congress are learnt to have sought at least two seats for the community to contest in the Lok Sabha elections in 2024 and have sought one out of the three nominations to be made for the Legislative Council besides appointments to boards and corporations.
While the demand to nominate one Muslim candidate had been there for some time, two seats for Muslims were sought for the Lok Sabha elections, party sources confirmed. In 2019, the Congress had nominated a Muslim to contest from Bengaluru Central. Among the seats that are being discussed for 2024 are Bengaluru Central, Bidar, Haveri and Hubballi-Dharwad Lok Sabha constituencies, sources said.
On Sunday, the meeting of legislators had been convened to discuss party’s preparation for BBMP, Zilla Panchayat and Taluk Panchayat elections that are expected to be held before Lok Sabha elections in 2024.
“The meeting had been convened as part of the party’s preparations for the elections. Some issues were raised by the party legislators,” KPCC working president Saleem Ahmed told The Hindu. With several elections fast approaching, the party has to be ready to fight the elections and repeat the success of the Assembly elections, he added.
Many legislators, it is learnt, also sought representation to minorities in candidate selections by the party in the local bodies elections. Acknowledging the demands of the community, KPCC president D.K. Shivakumar later told presspersons: “We have to accept their demands (for two seats in Lok Sabha elections). What is wrong in that? We have to accommodate them as per their population. They will be given ticket where they are likely to win.”
Mr. Shivakumar said that the BJP had redrawn the BBMP wards in such a manner that would prevent minorities from winning the elections. “There was an attempt to break their votes. We will bring this to the notice of the authorities,” he said.
