Bengaluru, March 27: In a significant development ahead of the Davanagere by-election, independent candidate Sadiq Pailwan has announced his withdrawal from the contest, a move that is expected to strengthen the Congress party’s position in the region.
Expressing confidence, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah stated that Congress is poised to secure victory not only in Davanagere but also in Bagalkot. He credited the withdrawal as a key factor consolidating support for the party candidates.
Addressing a press conference at the Congress office on Queen’s Road in Bengaluru, the Chief Minister said that Sadiq Pailwan has been known to him for several years, recalling their interactions during wrestling events in Mysuru. He noted that aspiring to contest elections is not wrong, but appreciated Pailwan’s decision to step aside in the interest of the party.
Siddaramaiah revealed that a total of 11 candidates had withdrawn their nominations, and specifically thanked Sadiq Pailwan for stepping down following a request from the party leadership.
He also clarified that Congress leaders including MLA Rizwan Arshad, Legislative Council Chief Whip Saleem Ahmed, and his political secretary Nazeer Ahmed had visited Davanagere to manage the situation. However, due to delays, they could not prevent Pailwan from filing his nomination earlier. The Chief Minister added that he himself could not travel due to commitments in the Legislative Council.
Highlighting Pailwan’s long-standing association with the Congress, Siddaramaiah described him as a loyal party worker with over four decades of service. He also pointed out that Davanagere has around 70,000 Muslim voters and that Pailwan was among the aspirants seeking the party ticket.
Explaining the ticket allocation, Siddaramaiah said the party high command followed its established practice of offering tickets to family members of deceased leaders, resulting in the selection of Samarth, son of Minister S.S. Mallikarjun, as the official Congress candidate.
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