Kharge Opts Out of Lok Sabha Race, Son-in-Law Steps Up for Gulbarga

In a significant political development from Bengaluru, dated March 21, the Congress party has made a strategic move by nominating Radhakrishna Doddamani, the son-in-law of Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, for the Lok Sabha seat from Gulbarga. This decision comes amidst signals that Kharge himself is not entering the fray for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. Having secured victories in 2009 and 2014 from the Gulbarga (Kalaburagi) constituency but facing defeat in 2019, Kharge's focus remains on his responsibilities at the national level and his ongoing term in the Rajya Sabha.

Despite having a political heavyweight like Priyank Kharge, Mallikarjun Kharge's son and a minister in the Karnataka government, within the family, the choice of Doddamani as the candidate highlights a strategic decision by the party. Priyank Kharge, representing Chittapur Assembly constituency in Gulbarga, reportedly showed no interest in contesting the Lok Sabha polls, paving the way for Doddamani's candidacy. A businessman with a background in managing educational institutions, Doddamani was initially hesitant but eventually agreed to contest.

Doddamani's connection to Kalaburagi and his behind-the-scenes role in previous electoral campaigns for Kharge have made him a familiar face among Congress workers and supporters, particularly in the Gurmitkal Assembly segment. His candidacy comes at a time when Mallikarjun Kharge seeks to reclaim his stronghold after a surprising defeat in 2019 by BJP's Umesh Jadhav by a margin of 95,452 votes. This loss marked Kharge's first electoral defeat, ending his streak of victories that earned him the moniker "Solillada Saradara" (a leader who hasn't faced defeat).

The 2019 election was notably challenging for Kharge due to several senior Congress leaders from the region defecting to the BJP. These leaders, including Baburao Chinchansur, A B Malaka Reddy, and Malikayya Guttedar, had expressed dissatisfaction with the dominance of Kharge and his son in regional politics. Their departure and active campaign against Kharge significantly impacted the election outcome.

Mallikarjun Kharge's political career spans several decades, during which he has held various significant positions including Union minister for labour and employment, railways, and social justice and empowerment in the UPA government led by Manmohan Singh. He has also played pivotal roles in Karnataka's state politics as president of the Karnataka Congress and leader of opposition in the state Assembly.

Gulbarga has historically been a stronghold for Congress, with the party losing control over this constituency only twice before 2019 during the Lok Sabha polls of 1996 and 1998. Currently, out of eight Assembly seats within Gulbarga, Congress holds six while BJP and JDS hold one each. The BJP has decided to field Umesh Jadhav once again for the upcoming general election, setting the stage for an intriguing electoral battle.