Dissent out in open after Congress announces Karnataka list

BENGALURU: A day after the Congress released a lisit of 218 candidates, several aspirants who did not make it to the ruling Congress list of candidates for next month’s crucial elections to the Legislative Assembly vent their ire against top leaders with their supporters resorting to violence in several districts on Monday.

Disappointed workers were seen weeping in Haveri and Kolar districts, party workers ransacked the party office in Mandya as one aspirant, Ganiga Ravi Kumar, felt he was cheated by former minister M.H. Ambareesh after promising to make way for him ahead of polls this year. A similar attack was witnessed in Chikkamagaluru where supporters of Gayathri Shanthegowda, who unsuccessfully contested Assembly polls in 2013 damaged furniture.

At Tiptur in Tumakuru district, a man allegedly attempted immolation as he was upset about denial of ticket to his leader K. Shadakshari. Before he could take the extreme step, other supporters and policemen intervened and whisked him away. They, however, blocked traffic and forced a shut-down in Tiptur. Siruguppa town too witnessed a shut-down in the wake of the party denying ticket to legislator B.M. Nagaraj. At Nelamangala, on the outskirts of Bengaluru, of supporters of Anjanam-urthy blocked traffic on the national highway linking Bengaluru with Pune as a mark of protest.