Council Elections: Congress ministers to check rebel candidates

Bengaluru: Facing an unprecedented challenge from those who have entered the fray for polls to 25 Legislative Council seats, the ruling Congress has doubled its efforts to ensure its official candidates sail through.

Many party leaders fear that the rebels, some of whom like Jayaprakash Hegde and Dayananda Reddy wield considerable clout in their constituencies, could upset the party’s calculations and eat into its vote bank.

Speaking to Deccan Chronicle, a senior leader in the Congress said, “We are adopting the same strategy we had adopted during the recent BBMP polls, when all our ministers were deployed to ensure the party's victory.” A party leader added that Chief Minister, Siddaramaiah and KPCC president, Dr G. Parameshwar want the party to stand united and also give such an impression to the common man ahead of the crucial political fight.

“The party wants to send a strong message that there is no rebellion and it is a cohesive unit as it faces the polls as this election is a prelude to a much bigger political battle that will ensue later in the form of the Zilla Panchayat and Taluk Panchayat polls,” the source explained.

Though most of the rebels have been placated, except for three who are in the fray, the CM has put ministers on the job to settle the revolts and has told them to talk to disgruntled elements and assure them that the party would take care of them. “The voters being panchayat members, the chief minister is aware that every panchayat member would need government's support to survive after they win elections in the Zilla Panchayat or Taluk Panchayat polls, therefore, the disgruntled elements need to be brought on a single platform so that those contesting as rebels can be isolated ahead of polling,” the source explained.