Karnataka Congress Faces Infighting and Minority Resentment Ahead of By-Elections

Bengaluru: In the run-up to Karnataka's upcoming by-elections on April 9, infighting and minority community resentment have come to the fore in the ruling Congress. Despite a large Muslim population estimated at 75,000 in the Davangere South seat, the party has chosen to field a 27-year-old grandson of the late Shamanur Shivashankarappa, Samarth, instead of fielding a minority candidate. Local Muslim leader Sadiq Pailwan filed a rebel independent nomination against this decision, though he has backed out after mediation from Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar. However, there has been a debate in the community whether the Congress only seeks the votes of Muslims but has shied away from giving them proper political representation. Organisations and the SDPI have lashed out at the Congress on this issue, calling it a party that runs "monarchy instead of democracy." Critics say that giving a ticket to the heir apparent of the same family, despite being a minister, MP and MLA in the same family, is like giving the Congress a larger share of the Muslim population.