Sowmya Reddy Bengaluru South Lok Sabha constituency Congress candidate in Bengaluru on Monday, 01st April 2024.
Credit: DH Photo/ S K Dinesh
Former Jayanagar MLA Sowmya Reddy is said to be a frontrunner to become the next president of the Karnataka Mahila Congress, a key organisational post given the party’s efforts to win over women who account for almost half of the electorate.
All India Mahila Congress president Alka Lamba has started the process of finding a candidate for the post in the state, sources said, adding that the possibility of Sowmya’s name being finalised is high.
The names of Kripa Amar Alva, Kamalakshi Rajanna, Aishwarya Mahadev, Nayana Motamma, Veena Kashappanavar and Kavitha Reddy came up during discussions, it is learnt.
At present, the state Mahila Congress is headed by Pushpa Amarnath, who is on an extension after she was appointed to the post in November 2018. The party had put off finding a replacement for Pushpa due to a lack of consensus. At present, Pushpa is also the vice-chairperson of the state-level Guarantee Implementation Committee with a minister of state rank.
Sowmya Reddy, the daughter of Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy, contested the recent Lok Sabha election and lost from Bangalore South.
According to Congress sources, the appointment of Sowmya Reddy as the new Mahila Congress chief would help the party during the impending Bruhat Bengaluru Mahangara Palike (BBMP) elections.
When contacted, Sowmya declined to comment in this regard.
Who will be Youth Congress chief?
Meanwhile, there is tough competition in the party for the post of the state youth wing president.
Mohammed Haris Nalapad is hoping for another term as president of the Karnataka Pradesh Youth Congress Committee (KPYCC). Youth leaders H S Manjunatha, Deepika Reddy and Kirti Ganesh are aspirants, along with Vinay Thimmapur and the party’s Dharwad Lok Sabha election candidate Vinod Asuti.
Candidates can file their nomination papers for the KPYCC presidential election until August 2. The papers will be scrutinised from August 3 to 8. A membership drive will be held from August 16 to September 16.
While the person who wins the highest number of votes will become KPYCC president, the remaining positions will go to other candidates based on the votes they get.