Bengaluru> The CPI(M) has decided to contest 19 seats in the Karnataka assembly elections to be held on May 12. CPI(M) is not having any alliance with any party. However talks are in progress with other Left parties to avoid mutual contest. Left parties are expected to contest in 30 seats. It is learnt that CPI and CPI-ML (Liberation) will contest in four seats
each and SUCI(C) in three seats.
The 19 seats are spread over 12 districts. CPI(M) is contesting four seats in Dakshina Kannada, two each from Bellary, Bangalore North, Chikkaballapura, Kolar and one seat
each from seven other districts. The Party has entered into election arena for the first time in six constituencies. It is contesting in five reserved seats – Anekal, Gulbarga Rural, KGF, Hagari Bommanahalli (SC reserved seats) and Kampli (ST reserved seat). In five of the constituencies, the Party has won the seat at least once in the past.
CPI(M) Karnataka state secretary and Central Committee member G V Sreerama Reddy is contesting from Bagepalli of Chikkaballapura district, which he won twice earlier. Maruti Manpade former president of KPRS affiliated to AIKS, is contesting from Gulbarga (rural). Two of the candidates are women – Yamuna Gaonkar from Haliyala of Uttara Kannada district and B Malamma from Hagari Bommanahalli of Bellary district. Malamma is founder-president of Karnataka Devadasi Vimochana Sangha that spearheaded the Devadasi movement in the state. Yamuna Gaonkar is one of the national secretaries of CITU. Two of the candidates are Muslims - Muneer Katipalla (state DYFI president) from Mangalore North and Gaibu Zaine Khan from Ramdurga. CPI(M) contestants are relatively young, mostly in 30s and 40s, the youngest being Nitin Kuttar from Mangalore who is just 25.
Karnataka assembly elections have attracted national attention due to fact that it is the only major state where Congress is in power apart from Punjab, and is the BJP’s aim for a Congress-mukt India. The Congress government has followed anti-people neoliberal policies and has failed both administratively and politically to counter the communal offensive. It is facing anti-incumbency. But the BJP is facing a much bigger anti-incumbency due to its non-performance at the centre and there are also bitter memories of the past state government. Hence both are looking to divert attention from people’s issues and indulge in mutual abuse and personal attacks.
JD(S) has no differences with the Congress or the BJP with regard to its stand on neoliberal policies or communalism. It has formed govern-ment with both the main contenders in the past, and is hoping for a hung verdict. As the seat allocation process in all three parties is in progress, hopping from one party to the other has started, making a mockery of democracy.
CPI(M) is contesting the elections to expose all the three parties and focus attention on people’s issues. It will strive to defeat BJP, register its presence
in the assembly and campaign for a political alternative based on alternative policies.
CPI(M) has started prepara-tions for the elections with political conventions in the constituencies. Bagepalli political convention that saw a mobilisation of over 30,000 has started the process and conventions were held at Mangalore, Gulbarga, Bellary, Rona etc.
List of CPI(M) Candidates:
Dakshina Kannada District
Sunil Kumar Bajal - Mangalore South
Muneer Katipalla - Mangalore North
Nithin Kuthar - Mangalore (erstwhile Ullal)
Yadav Shetty - Moodubidiri
Bangalore North District
HN Gopala Gowda - Krishnarajapuram
Pratapa Simha – Dasarahalli
Bellary District
B Malamma – Hagari Bommanahalli (SC)
VS Shivashankar – Kampli (ST)
Chickaballapur District
GV Sreerama Reddy - Bagepalli
Ravichandra Reddy - Gauribidanur
Kolar District
PR Suryanarayana - Sreenivasapura
Thangaraj - Kolar Gold Fields (SC)
Gulbarga District
Maruti Manpade - Gulbarga Rural (SC)
Koppala District
G Nagaraj - Gangavathi
Bangalore South District
D Mahadesh - Anekal (SC)
Udupi District
Suresh Kallagar - Byndoor
Belgaum District
Gaibu Zaine Khan - Ramdurga
Uttara Kannada District
Yamuna Gaonkar - Haliyala
Gadag District
MS Hadapad – Rona
