Daijiworld Media Network – Dharwad (RJP)
Dharwad, Apr 3: Congress on Monday decided to field former minister Vinay Kulkarni from Dharwad Lok Sabha seat. It also decided to field H B Manjappa from Davanagere segment by replacing the party veteran Shamanuru Shivashankarappa.
The party delayed the announcement of the candidate for Dharwad as there were other two strong contenders-Youth Congress leader Shakir Sanadi and North West KSRTC chairman Sadananda Dangannanavar.
Though the Congress state unit had recommended the Shakir Sanadi or his father, former MP I G Sanadi or Sadananda Dangannavar names, the party high command failed to select one among them. In the meantime, Vinay Kulkarni had strongly lobbied for the ticket.
Kulkarni, who met party top brass for a ticket, also threatened to file nomination as rebel candidate if he was denied the ticket. At the same time, Muslim community leaders also demanded that Dharwad seat should be given to their community leaders as Congress always had given two seats in Karnataka Lok Sabha polls.
As Congress fielded Rizwan Arshad from Bengaluru Central, another leader from the community should be fielded from Dharwad seat as this seat has a large number of minority voters, demanded the community leaders. However, when the state leaders failed to come to a consensus on selecting a candidate, the leaders left the final decision to the party top brass.
Vinay Kulkarni will fight against BJP sitting MP Prahlad Joshi.
The party fielded Davanagere district unit president H B Manjappa from Davanagere seat by replacing former minister Shamanuru Shivashankarappa.
Though earlier the party announced the candidature of veteran Congress leader Shamanuru Shivashankarappa, he refused to contest saying he was too old to fight election. Even there was also talk of giving a ticket to his son former minister S S Mallikarjuna. But he too backed off at last moment. Subsequently the party decided to field Manjappa. He will fight against BJP sitting MP and former union minister G M Siddeshwar.
The last date for filing nomination for these two segments of Phase 2 of LS polls, is April 4.