Bengaluru, April 10: Leaders from the minority community in Karnataka's Congress party expressed confidence on Friday that the party would secure a decisive victory in the by-elections for Bagalkot and Davanagere constituencies, citing internal survey findings and strong public support across communities.
Several leaders, including MLAs Rizwan Arshad, Yasir Khan Pathan, and Balkis Banu, KPCC Vice President Syed Ahmad, senior Congress leader and KPCC Vice President Ubedullah Sharif, KPCC Secretary Agha Sultan, Makandar, and Chand Pasha, were present at the press conference.
Addressing a joint press conference at the KPCC office in Bengaluru, the government's Chief Whip and Legislative Council member, Saleem Ahmad, said the party's internal assessment indicated a clear win with a significant vote share.
He added that the development works carried out by late Shamanur Shivashankarappa in the Davanagere South constituency would play a key role in the party's success.
Ahmad alleged that opposition parties had spread misinformation about the Congress government's guarantee schemes, but said that voters, particularly from minority communities, remained supportive of the party. He thanked party workers, leaders, and voters on behalf of the Congress leadership.
He also claimed that despite coordinated efforts by certain senior leaders within the party to undermine its prospects, minorities had voted in favour of the Congress. Ahmad said the party leadership, including the AICC and KPCC presidents, and the Chief Minister, were aware of the developments.
He added that the candidate selection was done after consultations with minority leaders, although some misunderstandings had arisen later.
MLA Rizwan Arshad said that people from all castes, religions, and communities had backed the Congress candidate in the Davanagere by-election. He accused opposition parties, including the BJP and SDPI, of spreading false narratives on social media that minorities had been sidelined in ticket distribution.
Arshad acknowledged that minority leaders had sought a ticket for a candidate from their community and that the party had agreed in principle. However, he said there was no consensus on a single candidate. He noted that MLC Abdul Jabbar had projected himself as a contender, but feedback from grassroots workers indicated concerns about his winnability.
He admitted that continuing to push a single name without offering alternatives had led to a setback. “We should have suggested multiple names or coordinated better with senior leaders. That lapse affected us,” he said.
Arshad also rejected claims on social media branding minority leaders as “traitors,” stating that all leaders had agreed internally to work for the party and had actively campaigned in Davanagere after being assigned responsibilities.
He accused the BJP and RSS of engaging in divisive politics targeting minorities and said the Congress was the only party resisting such efforts. “The narrative that Congress has betrayed minorities is politically motivated and incorrect,” he said.
Warning against a BJP victory in Davanagere, Arshad said it could disturb the existing communal harmony in the region. He reiterated that the Congress had campaigned to uphold secular values and dismissed all allegations made by the Opposition as baseless.
