New Delhi, March 4
If a number of senior
Congress leaders are opting out of the electoral race, there are a host of
others who are scouting around for safe seats.
With candidate selection for
the Lok Sabha poll having got under way, senior leaders are sending out feelers
about their choice of safe seats. However, not all are expected to have their
way. This issue may figure in the second meeting of the party’s Central Election
Committee (CEC) tomorrow when it takes up the selection of candidates from
states going to the poll in the first phase.
Heading the list of those wanting
to shift is Karnataka Chief Minister S.M. Krishna, who wishes to move from his
old assembly seat, Maddur in Mandya district, to either Bangalore Rural or
Bangalore City. Party sources said although Mr Krishna’s old district is a
“hotbed of Vokkilagas”, the Chief Minister has lost favour with his own
community.
Consequently, an otherwise safe seat has become too hot for him to
handle. With the Congress facing a tough contest in the upcoming assembly and
Lok Sabha elections, a change of constituency by the Chief Minister is bound to
send out a negative signal to the party workers and the electorate.
As it is,
the Congress in Karnataka is still to recover from the shock of seeing its
former Chief Minister S. Bangarappa cross over to the BJP. An important OBC
leader, Mr Bangarappa’s departure, it is stated, will impact the party in at
least 30 assembly seats and four Lok Sabha constituencies of Shimoga, North
Canara, Udipi and Managlore.
Former Union Minister Balram Jakhar, it is
learnt, does not wish to contest from Sikar, his old constituency, and is
instead eyeing the Churu seat in Rajasthan. According to Congress sources, Mr
Jakhar has shifted his seat in earlier elections as well, having moved from
Bikaner to Sikar. This time round, it is stated, Mr Jakhar’s move is prompted by
the fact that his bete noire, Rajasthan PCC chief Narayan Singh, is from Sikar
and could work against him.
Former Home Minister Buta Singh wanted to move
from Jalore in Rajasthan and even met Gorkha National Liberation Front’s (GNLF)
Subhash Ghising to seek his support for the Darjeeling seat. Mr Buta Singh was
hoping to cash in on the fact that he had been instrumental in the signing of
the Gorkhaland accord. Having got a negative response, Mr Buta Singh will have
little choice but to contest from Jalore where he will have to fight former BJP
President Bangaru Laxman.
Col Sona Ram, sitting Congress MP from Barmer,
Rajasthan, would like to move to Jodhpur as he has fallen foul of the local
party cadres in his constituency. However, he cannot hope to get anywhere in
Jodhpur without the “blessings” of former Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot who
belongs to this city. Mr Gehlot is unlikely to oblige Col Sona Ram as the latter
had campaigned actively against the official candidates in the recent assembly
elections.
Ms Girjia Vyas, who won from Udaipur, had wanted to move to
Bhilwara but it is unlikely that she will be allowed to shift.
As for those
who do not wish to take the Lok Sabha route, the list is endless. These include
Mr Arjun Singh, Mr K. Natwar Singh and former Chief Ministers Digvijay Singh and
Ashok Gehlot.
