The dissidence over the denial of party ticket for Bagalkot Lok Sabha election to Veena Kashappanavar, wife of MLA Vijayanand Kashappanavar, has refused to die down with the party workers urging the ticket aspirant to contest independently if the party declined to give her ticket.
At a meeting convened by followers of Veena Kashappanavar in Bagalkot on Friday evening, the supporters expressed their ire over denial of ticket to their leader and urged the party high command to change its decision immediately.
Congress leaders Mahanthesh Gaddanakeri, Balaram Nayak, Ashok Lagaloti questioned the rationale behind the selection of candidates for the party ticket. They said that when the election observers came to Bagalkot, nowhere was the name of Samyukta Patil was in consideration, and if the decision was to give party ticket to a candidate who was not in the race, then what was purpose of seeking opinions of local leaders, they asked.
Several other speakers said that during the Assembly election, Veena Kashappanavar had worked for the party candidate in Bagalkot, and now it was the duty of the Congress MLA to raise his voice in support of her. If local leaders failed to speak in support of her, then they would have to face consequences in the coming elections, they threatened, demanding reconsideration on the issue of the ticket.
Ms. Kashappanavar said, “The district leaders say they had sent my name while the State leaders term it the high command’s decision. When asked, national leaders said your name was not recommended. Whom should I believe and where should seek justice,” she asked. She said that she had worked for the party and treated it like her family. However, instead of recognising those who had worked for the party, an outsider had been chosen.
Expressing shock over the decision, MLA Vijayanand Kashappanavar said that the party should have given ticket for those who had worked for it. Clarifying that he had not come to do family politics, Mr. Vijayanand said that the party leaders had not even sought his opinion on the issue. “They seemed to have forgotten that I too am an MLA,” he said.
Meanwhile, speaking to presspersons, Minister for Textiles and Sugarcane Development Shivanand Patil said that while Veena Kashappanavar was free to take any decision, she should not have opposed the party high command’s decision. “Last time she was given party ticket and I was in charge of elections, I had made every effort for the party candidate’s victory and Mr. Vijayanand Kashappanavar too is aware of this,” he said.
Mr. Patil further said that he would try to convince the Kashappanavar family and even called them thrice. As there was no proper response, he had not gone to meet them. However he would try again.
