The ruling Congress party in Karnataka, led by Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar, successfully convinced rebel candidate Sadiq Pylwan to withdraw from the electoral contest in Davanagere South Assembly segment. Despite the nomination deadline passing, Sadiq will continue as a candidate but will now work for the Congress party. Invited to the official residence in Bengaluru, Sadiq agreed to support the party’s official candidate after discussions with party leaders.
Sadiq, who initially filed as an independent candidate for the Davanagere bye-election, later met with Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and pledged his support to the Congress party candidate. Deputy Chief Minister Shivakumar, along with party leaders, played a key role in persuading Sadiq to withdraw his nomination and work towards the party’s victory. The rebel candidate’s decision came after discussions and interventions by top party officials.
MLA Rizwan Arshad and MLC Saleem Ahmad, representing the Congress, visited Sadiq in Davanagere to request his withdrawal, initially facing resistance. However, after meetings with top leadership, including the Chief Minister and Deputy Chief Minister, Sadiq eventually agreed to support the official party candidate. The Congress party in Karnataka had been dealing with internal dissent in the Davanagere South Assembly constituency, a critical stronghold for the party.
The upcoming election in Davanagere South is crucial for both the ruling Congress and the opposition BJP. The Congress has fielded Samarth Mallikarjun, grandson of late leader Shamanur Shivashankarappa, while the BJP has nominated grassroots leader Srinivas T. Dasakariyappa. The Congress’s decision to field a family member has faced criticism, with the BJP hopeful of a victory if internal issues persist.
