Karnataka Assembly Elections 2013: Congress, BJP facing rebellion

Zeenews Bureau

Bangalore: Bhartiya Janata Party and the Congress released the first list of candidates last week for the upcoming state elections. However, both the national parties are facing dissidence and rebellion by their partymen post the release of names of those who have been given tickets. According to news report, the Congress is faced by rebellion by the supporters of Shamnur S Shivashankarappa. The veteran leader is considered to be a Lingayat strongman. His supporters want that he should be given ticket from Davanagere (South). Shivashankarappa also wants that his son should be given ticket from Davanagere (North). However, the Congress party has not announced candidates for both these constituencies. Lingayats constitute more than fifteen percent of the population in the state. It is also being said that a section of Muslims in Davanagere want ticket to be given to someone from the minority community. Congress may face also face trouble in some of the other constituencies like the Hebbal, Rajarajeshwarinagar, Chamarajpet, KR Puram, Bangalore South and Chitapur (Gulbarga). There are many leaders in these constituencies who are ticket seekers. It is also being said that children of union ministers are also aspirants from these constituencies. The incumbent party in Karnataka, the Bhartiya Janata Party too is facing its own troubles. If anti-incumbency of five years is not enough, the party is facing the problems of desertions by its MLAs. Whereas former minister Krissnaiah Setty who represents Malur in Kolar district announced his political retirement, Tourism Minister Anand Singh resigned from the cabinet and the primary membership of BJP to contest as an independent candidate from Vijayanagar in Bellary district. Krissnaiah Setty reportedly did not want to embarrass his party because the BJP had announced that it would not give tickets to tainted candidates. Setty has served a jail term on corruption charges. Another MLA Prathap Gouda Patil who represents Maski (Raichur) also resigned from the BJP saying that Congress had promised him ticket in the upcoming Assembly polls.