Daijiworld Media Network - Udupi (SP)

Udupi, Nov 22: It is reliably learnt that both the BJP and Congress are positively thinking of fielding their sitting MLCs, Kota Srinivas Poojary and Pratapchandra Shetty, in the election to the upper house proposed to be held shortly. Although there had been signals earlier that Shetty's candidature was on a shaky wicket, the confusion has died down and decks have been cleared for both the sitting members to seek re-election, sources said.

Both Poojary and Shetty are seeking legislative council memberships from local bodies constituency. The constituency covers both Dakshina Kannada and Udupi districts with a voter strength of about 6,800. City corporators, municipal councilors, members of town, taluk, gram and zilla panchayats, apart from MLAs and MPs have the right to cast their votes in this election. Both the BJP and Congress have enough membership strength to ensure victory of their respective candidates. Last time too, both these parties had fielded one candidate each.

Hectic parleys were going on in both the parties about the tickets to the election. Sources said that state president of BJP, Prahlad Joshi, had recently called party leaders from both these districts and hinted to them that the party leadership was in favour of fielding of Srinivas Poojary again. It was initially said that Pratapchandra Shetty was not inclined to become MLC again, but had relented after large number of party activists approached him and brought pressure on him. On Friday November 20 too, it is gathered, a large number of Congress activists met Oscar Fernandes at the district Congress Bhavan in the town and pressurized him to choose Shetty as the party candidate. Oscar is said to have promised to them to consider their plea.

Leaders of both the parties are aware that choosing a new person would be like opening of a hornet's nest, as there are many who have been waiting in the wings to become legislators. Therefore, they favour fielding tried and tested lieutenants of the party.

The terms of the present MLC will end on January 5. Therefore, the election commission is likely to issue election notification within a few days and complete the election process by the year end.