Karnataka bypolls 2018: Show of strength by political families

Bengaluru, Oct 15: The upcoming byelections in Karnataka are going to be a show of strength by political families. Out of five, four constituencies will witness a candidate from political family contesting the election.

Starting from Jamakhandi assembly, Congress has fielded Anand Nyamagowda, the son of Siddu Nyamagowda who passed away in an accident two months after Karnataka assembly elections. Of course, winnability, caste and money power play vital role winning elections. The party thinks sympathy wave adds more strength to his candidature.

In Shimoga, this election is a battle between sons of two former chief ministers of Karnataka. Former CM BS Yeddyurappa, who is also BJP state President, is backing his son BY Raghavendra. BY Raghavendra was Shimoga MP for one term. In the 15th Lok Sabha elections, he contested against the former CM Sarekoppa Bangarappa in the Shimoga constituency and won by a margin of 52,893 votes. Ironically, the BJP could not find any other leader to contest other than BSY's son.

BY Raghavendra's brother BY Vijayendra wanted to power politics in the assembly elections, but the BJP high-command stalled Yeddyurappa's move to field his son. It seems, BSY is bent on securing the future of his sons before the BJP gives him gate pass or send him to so-called 'Margadarshak Mandal'.

On the other hand, Congress is supporting its alliance partner Janata Dal (Secular) candidate B Madhu Bangarappa, who represents Sorab constituency. Madhu is the son of former CM S Bangarappa. Though, Congress-JDS wanted to field a mighty candidate to take on BSY family, but ended up choosing a ca nidate from another political family.

Anit Kumaraswamy, the wife of HD Kumaraswamy, is contesting against BJP's Chandrashekhar in Ramnagar. Surprisingly, JDS stopped short of launching Prajwal Revanna from Mandya. Reports doing rounds that HD Deve Gowda may back his grandson, but supported party worker and former MLC LR Shivarame Gowda.

BJP MLA Sriramulu's sister and former MP J Shantha is BJP candidate from Bellary against Congress' VS Ugrappa. Shantha had been MP for one term from Bellary. Sriramulu and Reddy brothers want re-election of J Shantha. This is the current political scenario of Lok Sabha and assembly byelections in the state.

Generally, during a political conversation people tend to blame Congress for sowing the seed of dynastic politics in India. At best we can blame (especially, BJP doesn't miss the chance) Congress for starting the trend, but other parties have become more dynastic than the Congress. Regional party leaders, who turned their states into fiefdom, have gone out of the way to promote family members. For instance, JDS has the chief minister, a cabinet minister and an MP (HD Deve Gowda) from the same family. Now, the daughter-in-law is contesting from Ramanagar, vacated by HD Kumaraswamy.

The BJP turns blind eye to dynastic tendencies in its own party. So, it is not right to single out Congress for dynastic politics when it is rampant in regional parties.