Karnataka bypolls: In relief to Congress, former MLA Khadri agrees to withdraw nomination papers

In a big relief to the Congress, former MLA Sayed Azeem Peer Khadri, who had rebelled against the party after being denied ticket and filed his nomination as an Independent in the byelection to Shiggaon Assembly Constituency, has agreed to withdraw his nomination following a truce.

Hulagur village, the native village of Mr. Khadri, had witnessed high drama where Minister for Housing, Wakf and Minority Welfare Zameer Ahmed Khan had gone to placate the former MLA. Despite Mr. Zameer Ahmed’s efforts to convince him from entering the poll fray, Mr. Khadri had rushed on a motorcycle and filed his nomination papers. Amid the melee, stones were pelted on the car of Congress nominee Yasir Ahmed Khan Pathan in which the Minister had gone to meet Mr. Khadri.

In the subsequent development, Mr. Khan managed to get Mr. Khadri to Bengaluru to meet Mr. Siddaramaiah and KPCC president D.K. Shivakumar, among other leaders. Mr. Khadri has been reportedly assured of a suitable position in the coming days, following which he agreed to withdraw his nomination papers on October 30.

Mr. Khadri told presspersons that the party was important to him and he would speak to his followers to convince them about his decision to withdraw and work for the victory of the Congress nominee.

The development comes as a big relief to the Congress as Mr. Khadri has considerable influence in the constituency and his candidature would have split the Congress vote share.

The other rebel stays

Another Congress rebel, former MP and two-time MLA Manjunath Kunnur, who has also filed nomination papers, announced on Saturday that he was firm on contesting the bypolls.

Mr. Kunnur, who won from Shiggaon Assembly Constituency in Haveri district twice as Congress candidate, subsequently joined the BJP and won from Dharwad South (now Haveri) constituency in 2004. He shifted to the Congress to contest unsuccessfully from Dharwad constituency in 2009. Mr. Kunnur returned to the BJP in 2018 and ahead of the Assembly elections in 2023, but he had rejoined Congress.

According to insiders, the Congress leaders are unlikely to make any effort to dissuade him, considering the caste equations. Mr. Kunnur is a Veerashaiva Lingayat Panchamasali leader, which is demographically strong in the constituency. Any split in their vote share is likely to benefit the Congress indirectly as BJP candidate Bharath Bommai is a Veerashaiva Lingayat.

Published - October 26, 2024 08:37 pm IST