Daijiworld Media Network - Udupi

Udupi, Dec 1: The race for tickets for the upcoming MLC polls from Udupi and Dakshina Kannada is heating up within Congress. While BJP has already announced sitting MLC Kota Srinivas Poojary's name for the polls, Congress is facing the problem of plenty with too many aspirants vying for the coveted ticket.

Pratapchandra Shetty, whose name has been doing the rounds from the last many days, had opted out of the race, only to jump back in again. Sources say that he is the preferred choice of Rajya Sabha MP Oscar Fernandes and other leaders of Udupi Congress. However, there is much opposition to Pratapchandra's nomination among the party workers particularly in Udupi and Kundapur, who argue that he has not been participating in party activities and hence does not deserve the ticket. Pratapchandra has been a Congress member for 15 years, and won MLC elections twice.

Despite having strong backing from those who matter in the party, about a month ago, Pratapchandra had written a letter to the party workers stating that he was opting out of the race. But a few days later, he withdrew his decision and with Oscar's backing, decided to contest. Party sources said that his name has almost been finalized.

Meanwhile, there are strong indications that former MP Jayaprakash Hegde who is also an aspirant, may contest the polls independently if he is not given the ticket. Speaking to daijiworld, J P Hegde was non-committal. "We will come to know in a day. As of now Oscar Fernandes seems to have decided that Pratapchandra Shetty should get the ticket. I will wait. Once the candidate is announced, I will discuss with my supporters and take a decision."

Sources close to J P Hegde however said that he would be filing his nomination in a day or so, either from Congress or as independent. "The party should give ticket to someone who is really working for Congress and participating actively," he said. Sources say party leaders are reluctant to have Hegde as the candidate.

Pratapchandra Shetty, J P Hegde, Harikrishna Bantwal

Another aspirant is long-term party member B Bhujanga Shetty, whose supporters especially from Brahmavar have demanded the ticket for their leader. Speaking to daijiworld, Bhujanga Shetty said he would contest the MLC polls this time, whether he gets the ticket or not.

"Last time too, I was an aspirant but the party asked me to step aside, with a promise that I would be given the ticket next time. Hence I had withdrawn my name. But now many people are emerging as aspirants. J P Hegde said that if I was contesting, he would not. This is MLC election, so only those working in local bodies should be considered. I have worked at all levels of the panchayat from the past 27 years. Hence, this time I have decided that whether the party gives me the ticket or not, I will contest," he told daijiworld.

District women's Congress president Veronica Cornelio said that the high command will make the decision in a day. "There is some confusion among party workers regarding aspirants. There are four or five persons in the race. It is not wrong to be an aspirant. It is left to the high command to decide, which will do so in a day or two," she said, while making it clear that she was not an aspirant.

M A Gafoor, former president of Udupi district Congress and KPCC secretary, is another aspirant, but unlike Bhujanga Shetty, he said he would contest only if the party chose him. "If the party recognizes me as the candidate, I will contest. If I do not get the ticket, I am fine with it and I will continue to serve the party. I strongly believe in the party ideology and I will obey the high command. There are many aspirants and the party will decide."

Sources said that there was a strong demand for tickets based on caste lines. Already, the Billawas have made it clear that they want the party to give the ticket to Harikrishna Bantwal. In a memorandum sent to Karnataka Congress, president of All India Billawa Federation, Jaya C Suvarna reminded that Congress had not allotted MLC election tickets to any of the Billawa leaders so far.

"So far, Congress has given two tickets to Bunts community, twice to Christian candidates, once to Muslim community, once to Gowd Saraswat Brahmin community and once to Gowda community. It is regrettable that the party has not considered it fit to allot ticket to candidates from Billawa community, which has a formidable presence in coastal Karnataka," he stated, adding that while Billawas were not opposed to any community or religion, it was suprising that sitting MLC Pratapchandra was pressurised to contest again despite having decided not to.

On behalf of Billawa community, Jaya Suvarna has requested Congress to choose Harikrishna Bantwal, who has been serving the party since the last 40 years without enjoying any positions of power, as its candidate for the forthcoming legislative council election from the twin-districts. He also clarified that he should not be blamed if Billawa community decides to oppose Congress in the coming elections, if this request of the community to choose a Billava candidate for this election is ignored.

All said and done, it would be interesting to watch if Congress decides to stick with Pratapchandra Shetty or if J P Hegde contests independently. Sources say that if Hegde does decide to go alone, he would have a good chance of winning, giving the strong support he enjoys in the constituency.