Will the Congress field a Muslim candidate from Haveri again or will it opt for a new non-Muslim face for the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections? This is the question haunting the political observers as well as the Congress cadre in the constituency.
Former MP I G Sanadi, Salim Ahmed and Sanadi's son Shakil Sanadi (all Muslims) and former legislator D R Patil (Reddy) are in the race for the ticket. While I G Sanadi has represented the constituency (known as Dharwad South Parliament constituency before delimitation) in 1996 and 1999 before losing twice in 1998 and 2004, Salim had lost in 2009. The Muslim candidates claim they have a better chance in the constituency. The Congress had won the seat till 1996 with Fakruddinsab Husainsab Mohsin (1977, 1980), Azeez Sait (1984), B M Mujahid (1989, 1991), and I G Sanadi (1996, 1999) getting elected. The non-Congress candidates have won three times. B M Menasinkai from Lok Shakti won in 1998, Manjunath Kunnur from BJP got elected in 2004 and Shivakumar Udasi won in 2009. All the three were Lingayats.
D R Patil was Gadag MLA for four terms, from 1992 to 2008, and has a clean image. He also has a good rapport with AICC supremo Sonia Gandhi and Oscar Fernandes. His cousin, RDPR minister H K Patil is also trying to get a ticket for D R Patil.
Haveri Lok Sabha constituency has seven Congress MLAs and one BJP MLA. According to sources, of the six Congress MLAs, five have supported the candidature of D R Patil while Hanagal MLA Manohar Tahasildar has supported Salim Ahmed. The MLAs have given their preference in writing to the KPCC election committee.
Those opposing Salim Ahmed's candidature argue that he is an outsider. But Salim, who is the chairman of Nehru Yuva Kendra, has high level contacts and is trying hard to secure ticket. Shakil Sanadi is a Rahul Brigade man in the race.
On his part, H K Patil has proposed the name of A M Hindasgeri for Dharwad Lok Sabha constituency in a bid to placate Muslims. If the party decides to field a Muslim in Haveri, Hindasgeri may not get a chance in Dharwad, party sources said. D R Patil may get a nod from the party if it drops the other two contenders who had lost earlier.
"The final decision does not depend solely on the factors governing local conditions. It depends on who gets tickets in other constituencies. The party leadership has to balance the caste equations and the outcome depends on that," said Veeranna Mattikatti, MLC and veteran Congress leader.
