Mallikarjun Kharge May Skip Lok Sabha Contest: Sources

There is speculation that Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge may abstain from contesting the upcoming Lok Sabha polls, a prospect that has raised concerns in certain quarters.

The sentiment among some is that a leader of his stature should not be absent from the electoral battlefield, with calls for him to lead from the front.

However, the seasoned party veteran has emphasized the importance of focusing on the broader picture and refraining from getting entangled in personal campaign endeavors.

While Kharge's name was unanimously discussed for the Gulbarga constituency in Karnataka, sources close to him suggest that he is considering nominating his son-in-law, Radhakrishnan Doddamani, for the seat.

Having previously won twice from the Gulbarga constituency, Kharge faced defeat in 2019 and has since served in the Rajya Sabha as the Leader of the Opposition, with four more years left in his term.

His son, Priyank Kharge, currently holds a ministerial position in the Karnataka cabinet led by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah.

However, reports indicate that Priyank Kharge is not enthusiastic about contesting the Lok Sabha elections, and the Congress is refraining from coaxing state ministers into contesting, with only one minister reportedly being considered.

Kharge has expressed his desire not to confine himself to one constituency but to concentrate his efforts across the country.

It is noteworthy that the Congress has a tradition of its party chiefs contesting elections.

In recent years, both Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi have contested and emerged victorious, although Mr. Gandhi faced defeat in the party stronghold of Smriti Irani in 2019.

Similarly, while JP Nadda is not contesting this year, past BJP chiefs like Rajnath Singh and Amit Shah secured significant victories from Lucknow and Gandhinagar in the 2014 and 2019 elections, respectively.