By giving currency to dynasts in Lok Sabha poll tickets, Congress, BJP show they are faces of same coin

Bengaluru: Family politics is writ large on the Lok Sabha elections from the state as more than half of the candidates are either children or relatives of politicians, with parties putting ‘winnability’ above all other considerations.

The BJP and Congress have announced 24 candidates each so far. Of them, at least 10 in BJP belong to political families. In Congress, this number is 16. 

Unlike the BJP, the Congress may not be witnessing rebellion on the surface. However, several party workers are upset with the choice of ‘dynasts’ over them.

The BJP is witnessing unprecedented rebellion against the party’s state leadership at least in eight Lok Sabha constituencies, where sitting and former MLAs are up against the party nominees.

A senior Congress functionary from Bengaluru told DH that all four Lok Sabha constituencies in Bengaluru constituencies are allocated to dynasts.

“As many as 16 MP candidates are from families of incumbent ministers and leaders in the state. This shows that the Congress is normalising dynastic politics,”
he said.

Another senior leader lamented that the party had almost stopped considering the workers for posts, including nominations to Upper House of parliament and legislature, appointments to state-run boards and corporations. 

“Till the elections are over, leaders speak very high about party workers’ contributions. Thereafter, they forget the workers and start raining benefits on people from their own families and their near ones. At least, till the early 2000s, contractors for government works used to be from among the party workers. Nowadays, this space is also going into the hands of families of MLAs and MPs. Workers are completely upset with the party,” he said.

Veteran Congress leader S G Nanjaiahnamatha told DH that it is high time that the party takes note of workers’ frustration.

“With caste and money influencing elections, if a party wants to field dynasts in elections, it should at least find an alternative means to reward its loyal workers. I have been insisting that the party must appoint loyal workers to state-run boards and corporations, instead of MLAs. I have said this in the past and I will talk about it in future too. The party should appoint its workers to co-operative institutions, instead of allowing MLAs to contest polls to DCC banks,” he said.