Mahantesh Kadadi
| Photo Credit: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT
Congress sprung a surprise in Gokak by choosing Mahantesh Kadadi to face Ramesh Jarkiholi, former minister and BJP MLA. Mahantesh Kadadi is a relative of Iranna Kadadi, BJP leader and Rajya Sabha member.
Mahantesh Kadadi is a paediatrician who runs a chain of hospitals in Gokak, Ghataprabha and Mudalagi. His father and Iranna Kadadi are second cousins. The two families share cordial relations. Iranna Kadadi has spoken at the inauguration of Mahantesh Kadadi’s hospitals and the Allam Prabhu Foundation that he started for charity works in the past.
Mahantesh Kadadi is a Panchamasali Lingayat. He has attended the rallies organised by Sri Basava Jaya Mrutyunjaya Swami seeking 2A category reservation for the community.
Congress sources say that Mahantesh Kadadi’s application was pushed by leaders M.B. Patil and Lakshmi Hebbalkar, a fellow Panchamasali leader. Another leader said that some Panchamasali seers had requested Congress leaders to nominate Mahantesh Kadadi.
Interestingly, Mahantesh Kadadi has not always been a Congress leader. Till recently, he was seen in BJP functions. His followers had put up his posters as a BJP ticket aspirant from Gokak. Some social media pages owing allegiance to him carried the saffron party’s flags and symbols. However, they all changed a few days ago. As if on a cue from the Congress leadership, Mahantesh Kadadi was seen distributing Congress guarantee cards in villages near Gokak, a week ago.
Iranna Kadadi had unsuccessfully moved Mahantesh Kadadi’s application before the BJP core committee meeting in Bengaluru on Saturday, party sources say.
“Iranna Kadadi had said that Mahantesh Kadadi should be fielded from Gokak, an unreserved constituency, while Balachandra Jarkiholi could be fielded from the Yamkanmaradi seat, reserved for ST candidates. This angered Ramesh Jarkiholi who asked the Rajya Sabha member not to comment on the Jarkiholi brothers,” a senior leader said.
The BJP is yet to announce its official list of candidates, though the presumption in party circles is that Ramesh Jarkiholi and Balachandra Jarkiholi will be renominated.
It seems that the Congress choice for Kittur is also likely to face rebellion. The party has announced ticket for Babasaheb Patil, a far relative of D.B. Inamdar, former Minister and veteran Congressman.
However, this is supposed to have upset his son Vikram Inamdar and daughter-in-law Lakshmi Inamdar. Lakshmi Inamdar has told her followers that she will contest as an Independent if the Congress does not change its decision. She is supposed to have politely declined a request from KPCC leaders D.K. Shivakumar and M.B. Patil, to support the party nominee in Kittur for a future political or administrative appointment.
“The party high command had finalised the name of D.B. Inamdar. But it decided to change the decision in the last moment, as he is ailing. Mr. Patil had fought as an Independent against Mr. Inamdar in the last elections, that fractured the Congress votes, leading to the election of BJP nominee Mahantesh Dodagoudar. The Congress’ chances in Kittur will be higher if it chooses Vikram Inamdar,” a Congress leader said.