Mallikarjun Kharge Considering Skipping Lok Sabha Contest Amid Party Unease: Sources

The upcoming Lok Sabha polls might see a significant shift as Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge contemplates not contesting, a decision causing concern among some quarters. While many advocate for his frontline presence, Kharge emphasizes the need for him to oversee the broader strategy rather than focusing solely on his personal campaign.

Initially considered as the unanimous candidate for the Gulbarga constituency in Karnataka, Kharge is now leaning towards nominating his son-in-law, Radhakrishnan Doddamani, for the seat. Having previously won twice from Gulbarga but facing defeat in 2019, Kharge currently serves as the Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha, with four more years left in his term.

Interestingly, Kharge’s son, Priyank Kharge, holds a ministerial position in Karnataka’s cabinet under Chief Minister Siddaramaiah. However, reports suggest his reluctance to contest the Lok Sabha elections. The Congress seems to be avoiding the poaching of state ministers for the upcoming polls, a notable departure from previous strategies.

Expressing his desire to focus on a broader national perspective rather than confining himself to a single constituency, Kharge’s decision aligns with the Congress’s historical precedent of party chiefs contesting elections. Notably, both Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi have contested and won in recent years, despite Rahul Gandhi’s loss in 2019 to Smriti Irani.

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Comparatively, in the BJP, although current chief JP Nadda isn’t contesting this year, past chiefs like Rajnath Singh and Amit Shah secured significant victories from Lucknow and Gandhinagar in 2014 and 2019, respectively.

In a recent meeting of the INDIA bloc, Kharge emerged as a potential Prime Ministerial face, endorsed by Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and her Delhi counterpart Arvind Kejriwal. However, Kharge deferred the decision, suggesting it be revisited post-elections.