Karnataka: With ECI yet to announce date, ticket race heats up for Hiriyur bypolls

Discussions over candidate selection have already begun in all three major parties, even before the ECI announces the election schedule.

The Election Commission of India’s (ECI) decision to defer the byelection to the Hiriyur Assembly constituency, despite the six-month deadline stipulated under the law, has triggered speculation among leaders and workers of the three major political parties in Karnataka.

The byelection was necessitated by the death of former Minister D. Sudhakar on May 10.

Section 151A of the Representation of the People Act, 1951, stipulates that a byelection to fill a vacancy in a State legislature must be held within six months of the occurrence of the vacancy. However, the ECI is yet to announce the schedule for the Hiriyur byelection.

Sources said the Commission had delayed the election as it was preoccupied with the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Karnataka. The SIR exercise was largely completed on October 27.

Ruling party sources indicated that the byelection was likely to be held in January, along with byelections to vacant Assembly seats in other States.

Meanwhile, discussions over candidate selection have already begun in all three major parties, even before the ECI announces the election schedule.

There is considerable interest in whom the Congress leadership will nominate as its candidate for Hiriyur. A section of party leaders and workers has demanded that the ticket be given to Suhas Sudhakar, son of the late D. Sudhakar. Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar also mentioned Mr. Suhas’s name at a recent public function. Congress sources indicated that the party had decided to field Mr. Suhas.

For the Congress, which faced a setback after the BJP-JD(S) alliance won all four Legislative Council seats that went to polls on October 23, this bypoll is a prestige issue.

Meanwhile, the BJP and the JD(S) are exploring the possibility of fielding a joint candidate under their alliance arrangement. Several aspirants have reportedly approached leaders of both parties seeking the ticket.

Congress MLC Rajendra Rajanna, son of former Minister K.N. Rajanna, has met former Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda and is reportedly seeking the alliance’s support for his candidature.

However, Congress sources ruled out the possibility of the Rajanna family leaving the party. They pointed out that K.N. Rajanna himself was planning to field his son from Madhugiri, the constituency he currently represents, in the 2028 Assembly elections. Mr. Rajendra has also denied the speculation.

Former BJP MLA Poornima Srinivas, wife of Congress MLC D.T. Srinivas, is also understood to be lobbying for the Congress ticket, reportedly with the support of former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah. Ms. Poornima, daughter of late Congress leader A. Krishnappa, who belongs to the Golla community among the Other Backward Classes (OBCs), represented Hiriyur from 2018 to 2023. However, Congress sources said she was unlikely to be considered for the ticket.

Retired government employee Bethur Palya Raju has also reportedly approached Union Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy, seeking the ticket.