Karnataka bypolls 2019: Candidates selection a tightrope walk for BJP, Congress in Shivajinagar

Bengaluru, Oct 02: The selection of candidates for the Shivajinagar bypolls may turn out to be a tricky affair for both the ruling BJP and opposition Congress in Karnataka.

Shivajinagar constituency, which has the 1.9 lakh muslim voters has mostly favoured leaders from the minority community.

The latest I Monetary Advisory (IMA) Ponzi scam has made it a tough task for both the BJP and the Congress in selecting the candidates as most of the leaders who had support in the area have been linked to the scam.

"The candidate can be from any religion or community but the only demand we have that is his name should not be linked with the IMA Ponzi scam in any way," Senior Congress leader BK Hariprasad told ANI.

Congress leaders Rizwan Arshad and councillors A.R. Zakir Ahmed, Abdul Wajid and Shakeel Ahmed, are lobbying for the post.

Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president Dinesh Gundu Rao and Siddaramaih have reportedly backed Rizwan Arshad from the Shivajinagar Assembly constituency.

Meanwhile, BJP too is willing to field Roshan Baig's son Ruman Baig or his kin as the candidate, whose name has been linked with the IMA Ponzi scam.

Bypolls to Shivajnagar Assembly constituency had been necessitated after Roshan Baig's resignation.

The senior congress leader rebelled against the party along with 13 other Congress and three JD(S) legislators that led to the fall of the JD(S)-Congress coalition in Karnataka.

Baig had been accused by IMA group founder, Mohammad Mansoor Khan, who is absconding, of taking Rs 400 crore from him and not returning it.