Clamour for Rahul to contest from Karnataka

With Lok Sabha elections drawing near, Congress leaders in Karnataka are clamouring for their president Rahul Gandhi to contest from the state.

Several leaders starting with former chief minister Siddharamaiah have urged that Rahul contest from Karnataka. The state Congress chief Dinesh Gundu Rao has also made a similar demand.

Former finance minister P Chidambaram's son Karti Chidambaram has, however, called for Rahul Gandhi to contest from Tamil Nadu.

Calling Gandhi the "next Prime Minister of India", Karnataka Congress Legislature Party leader Siddharamaiah recalled his grandmother Indira Gandhi and mother Sonia Gandhi had contested from Lok Sabha seats in the state.

"Karnataka has always supported & encouraged @INCIndia leaders. It has been proved in case of Smt. Indira ji & Smt. Sonia ji.

"We also want our next Prime Minister of India Shri. @RahulGandhi to contest from Karnataka & herald new developmental paradigm," Siddaramaiah said in a tweet, using the hashtag "#RaGaFromKarnataka," he tweeted.

While Indira Gandhi had scripted her political comeback from Chikkamagaluru in Karnataka by winning Lok Sabha bypolls in 1978, United Progressive Alliance (UPA) chairperson Sonia Gandhi had contested and won from Ballari in 1999, trouncing the Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) Sushma Swaraj.

Interestingly, the Congress has ceded the Chikkamagaluru seat to its alliance partner Janata Dal (Secular) this time, while Ballari remains with it.

Siddaramaiah's tweet has come amid reports about pressure within the Congress for Rahul Gandhi to contest from a seat in south India.

The Congress had, earlier this month, announced that the party chief would contest from Amethi and Sonia Gandhi from Rae Bareli, their traditional strongholds in Uttar Pradesh.

Dinesh Gundu Rao also tweeted, saying "On behalf of @INCKarnataka I urge @RahulGandhi to consider contesting from Karnataka for the forthcoming #LokSabhaElection2019."
The Karnataka Youth Congress also said, "We sincerely request Sri @RahulGandhi ji to contest from Karnataka in upcoming 2019 Lok Sabha Elections. To bridge the gap between North & South, we need a leader who extends love & care. We want #RaGaFromKarnataka."
Local legislator Roshan Baig also said, "Karnataka has been the centre of national focus under the leadership of Indian National Congress on several occasions - 1978, Smt. Indira Gandhi represented Chikmaglur and 1999, Smt. Sonia Gandhi represented Bellary. Shri Rahul Gandhi should repeat history."