KPCC president DK Shivakumar hands over the ‘B’ form to minister SS Mallikarjun, whose son Samarth Mallikarjun is the party’s candidate for the Davangere South Assembly polls, in Bengaluru on Sunday. | Photo credit: Special arrangement
Amid multiple aspirants and stiff competition among family members, the Congress on Sunday announced Umesh Meti and Samarth Mallikarjun as its candidates for the Bagalkot and Davangere South assembly constituencies, which will go to polls on April 9. The Congress is already staring at trouble for the rebel candidate in the battle in Davangere South.
Bagalkot and Davangere South by-elections were called after the death of Congress leaders HY Meti and Shamanur Shivashankarappa. Mr. Umesh is the younger son of late Meti and Mr. Samarth is the son of Mines Minister SS Mallikarjuna and grandson of late Shamanur Shivashankarappa.
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy Chief Minister and KPCC President DK Shivakumar are scheduled to be present when both the candidates file their nomination papers on Monday – the last date for filing papers. The census will take place on May 4.
The Congress, under pressure from Muslims to give a ticket to a leader from the community for the Davangere South seat, eventually zeroed in on Mr. Samarth.
Mr. Shivakumar on Sunday justified this as a “tradition” of the party to provide ticket to the families of deceased leaders.
The ticket was finalized late on Saturday evening after AICC general secretary Randeep Singh Surjewala along with Mr Siddaramaiah and Mr Shivakumar met a number of Muslim leaders.
“We have decided to fight unitedly and win both the constituencies. A unanimous decision has been reached,” Mr. Shivakumar told reporters on Sunday after handing over Form ‘B’ to his Cabinet colleague SS Mallikarjun, who came to collect it on behalf of his son.
On Muslim leaders making any demand in the party, he said, “There was nothing wrong with a section of the minority community seeking a ticket. They were asking for a ticket based on their population size. They are asking (for demands).”
On Shamanur Shivashankarappa’s apparent promise to give a ticket to the Muslim community, Mr Shivakumar said, “They may have expressed their grievance to you but not to us. That is exactly why we made Abdul Jabbar (one of the ticket aspirants) MLC three times. Alternative measures are taken from time to time.”
Several aspirants from the Meti family
In Bagalkot, the problems were bigger for the Congress. Three of the four children of the late Meti were aspirants.
Mahadevi Meti threatened to file nomination as an independent even as her siblings – Mallikarjun Meti and Umesh Meti – also sought the ticket. The matter was resolved only after the Chief Minister, a longtime friend of the late Meti, intervened.
According to Mr. Shivakumar, though there were ticket aspirants from outside the family, the party stuck to the family.
Home Minister G. Parameshwara acknowledged the difficulties the party faced in ticket selection but exuded confidence that it would win both the seats. “It was not easy. The family members were looking for the ticket and the workers also suggested some names,” he told reporters in Bengaluru.
Published – 22 March 2026 12:46 IST
