As poll date nears, Cong starts feeling rebel heat
16 April 2013 1:08 AM GMT
The Congress party started feeling the pangs of rebellion with release of the second list from aspirants who did not make it and also by those who have got tickets, but unhappy their rivals had also made it in the selection.
The second list of 40 names includes two candidates from the earlier list who have been changed. The Congress has decided to sail with the revolt by making exceptions to Rahul Gandhi's guidelines in selection of candidates.
Leading the rebellion on Sunday was 'rebel' star M H Ambareesh, who has got the ticket from Mandya. He has threatened to withdraw from the fray, if , the second list announcing the name of A S Ravindra for Srirangapatna is not reconsidered. He had contested as a rebel Congress candidate against Ambareesh in 2008 from Srirangapatna and both lost. Ambareesh was supported by Melukote candidate L D Ravi, who has also threatened to withdraw from the fray. Speaking to the media, Ambareesh said he will not contest even if he is told to by the Congress high command and will not campaign in Mandya district, if Ravindra is accommodated. With what face can I go to the district?'' he asked.
While the Vokkaliga's heartland Mandya was not enough trouble for the Congress leadership, the party is going to face the heat in Bellary with the ticket being given to Rajya Sabha MP Anil Lad. The Bellary city seat had nine aspirants including K C Kondaiaha, Allum Veerabhadrappa, Hottur Mohammed Iqbal and Diwakar Babu. All the nine had ranged against Lad on grounds that he had lost the same seat to the Reddy brothers in 2008, later accommodated into the Rajya Sabha within few months and hailing from Sandur in Bellary was an outsider'' to the city.
Overlooking all these objections the party gave in to Lad's demand. The Congress in Bellary district is already a divided house and the present developments are going to widen the spasm. Adjoining Bellary, the double constituencies of Davanagere North and South were a cause of worry for the party. Both the seats were demanded by local Lingayat strongman and party's longtime treasurer Shamnur Shivashankarappa for himself and his son S S Mallikarjun. The Muslims had staked claim for Davanagere South on the ground that they are in a majority there. The seat has been given to Shivashankarappa.
BJP’S 3RD LIST NAMES 37 CANDIDATES
The ruling BJP has released its third list with 37 candidates for the 5 May Assembly polls but still has not taken a call about three tainted MLAs, keeping the suspense factor alive.
The BJP had announced its first list of 140 candidates on 5 April and subsequently released a set of 35 nominees. With Monday’s 37, it has named candidates in 212 segments.
It’s yet to name the candidates in the remaining 12 constituencies – Karnataka assembly has a total of 224 seats – including Hebbal, Malur and KGF, represented by tainted MLAs Katta Subramanya Naidu, S N Krishnaiah Setty and Y Sampangi, respectively.
There has been intense speculation in recent days on whether the party would give tickets to the trio.
The last day of filing for nominations is on 17 April.
The second list of 40 names includes two candidates from the earlier list who have been changed. The Congress has decided to sail with the revolt by making exceptions to Rahul Gandhi's guidelines in selection of candidates.
Leading the rebellion on Sunday was 'rebel' star M H Ambareesh, who has got the ticket from Mandya. He has threatened to withdraw from the fray, if , the second list announcing the name of A S Ravindra for Srirangapatna is not reconsidered. He had contested as a rebel Congress candidate against Ambareesh in 2008 from Srirangapatna and both lost. Ambareesh was supported by Melukote candidate L D Ravi, who has also threatened to withdraw from the fray. Speaking to the media, Ambareesh said he will not contest even if he is told to by the Congress high command and will not campaign in Mandya district, if Ravindra is accommodated. With what face can I go to the district?'' he asked.
While the Vokkaliga's heartland Mandya was not enough trouble for the Congress leadership, the party is going to face the heat in Bellary with the ticket being given to Rajya Sabha MP Anil Lad. The Bellary city seat had nine aspirants including K C Kondaiaha, Allum Veerabhadrappa, Hottur Mohammed Iqbal and Diwakar Babu. All the nine had ranged against Lad on grounds that he had lost the same seat to the Reddy brothers in 2008, later accommodated into the Rajya Sabha within few months and hailing from Sandur in Bellary was an outsider'' to the city.
Overlooking all these objections the party gave in to Lad's demand. The Congress in Bellary district is already a divided house and the present developments are going to widen the spasm. Adjoining Bellary, the double constituencies of Davanagere North and South were a cause of worry for the party. Both the seats were demanded by local Lingayat strongman and party's longtime treasurer Shamnur Shivashankarappa for himself and his son S S Mallikarjun. The Muslims had staked claim for Davanagere South on the ground that they are in a majority there. The seat has been given to Shivashankarappa.
BJP’S 3RD LIST NAMES 37 CANDIDATES
The ruling BJP has released its third list with 37 candidates for the 5 May Assembly polls but still has not taken a call about three tainted MLAs, keeping the suspense factor alive.
The BJP had announced its first list of 140 candidates on 5 April and subsequently released a set of 35 nominees. With Monday’s 37, it has named candidates in 212 segments.
It’s yet to name the candidates in the remaining 12 constituencies – Karnataka assembly has a total of 224 seats – including Hebbal, Malur and KGF, represented by tainted MLAs Katta Subramanya Naidu, S N Krishnaiah Setty and Y Sampangi, respectively.
There has been intense speculation in recent days on whether the party would give tickets to the trio.
The last day of filing for nominations is on 17 April.
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