Pics: Spoorthi Ullal / Suvarna Brahmavar
Daijiworld Media Network - Udupi/Mangaluru (HB/DV)

Udupi/Mangaluru, Dec 7: The candidates of both BJP and Congress as well as independent candidates filed their nominations for the upcoming MLC polls at the DC's office in Mangaluru on Monday December 7.

Sitting MLC Kota Srinivas Poojary, the BJP candidate from Udupi-Dakshina Kannada constituency filed his nomination at 11 am, accompanied by party leaders such as MLC Capt Ganesh Karnik, Rukmayya Poojary, BJP district president Pratap Simha Nayak, MLA S Angara, former MLA Prabhakar Bangera, and chief whip of the opposition MLA Sunil Kumar.

Kota Srinivas Poojary (BJP) filing nomination

Pratapchandra Shetty (Cong) filing nomination

J P Hegde, Bhujanga Shetty (Ind)

Speaking to reporters later, Srinivas Poojary said that he was confident of winning the elections with a clear majority.

Congress candidate Pratapchandra Shetty, who is also a sitting MLC, filed his nomination, accompanied by minister Abhaychandra Jain, Ramanath Rai and Vinay Kumar Sorake, Udupi MLC Pramod Madhwaraj, MLA Mohiuddin Bava, MLC Ivan D'Souza, Ibrahim Kodijal and other party leaders.

Speaking to reporters, Pratapchandra Shetty said, "I have filed my nomination from Congress party, after holding a meeting with the party leaders and members earlier this morning."

Asked about the letter he had initially written to party workers about not contesting the elections, he said, "I have written letters to party workers from the past 12 years wishing them on different occasions. I had said that others should also get an opportunity to contest, so I had initially thought of not contesting this time. But the party workers demanded that I contest, and I responded to them."

Responding to accusations that he was not active in the party, he said, "I have visited various gram panchayats and participated in all the gram panchayat at Legislative Council meetings. I have been an active member of the Congress."

Asked if he was not embarassed about facing opposition from his own party workers, he took a veiled jibe at independent candidate and former MP Jayaprakash Hegde and said, "Why should I feel embarassed? I have been serving the Congress from so many years. Those who have come from other parties are the ones who should be feeling embarassed."

To a question whether he would convince Congress members who are contesting as independent candidates to withdraw their nominations, he said, "The party has given me the ticket. I do not need to convince anybody."

Meanwhile, independent candidates Jayaprakash Hegde and Bhujanga Shetty came from Brahmavar, Udupi in a huge procession accompanied by several party workers, and reached DC's office in Mangaluru at around noon.

Speaking to reporters before the start of the procession in Brahmavar, J P Hegde and Bhujanga Shetty said that they were not Congress rebels, but only independent candidates.

"There are so many able potential candidates in Congress who are interested to contest the election. I cannot understand why Congress leaders are sticking with Pratapchandra Shetty," said J P Hegde.

"Pratapchandra is not active in the party. If he is not interested, why is he being pushed into MLC elections?" he questioned, adding, "Pratapchandra even sent a letter to party workers he is not familiar with, saying he would not contest the elections as he was not interested in taking up responsibilities.

"It seems like there is no other able leader in the party except Pratapchandra. Veronica Carnelio, M A Gafoor and others are also able leaders," he added.

"This (independent nominations) is the voice of party workers. More than half the party workers are supporting us," he said.

Speaking to reporters in Mangaluru after filing the nomination, J P Hegde said, "I cannot say I am filing nomination from Congress, but I am not leaving Congress. A person who was telling from past six years that he does not want to contest the MLC elections, and who was not active in the party, has been given the ticket. Our demand is that only a Congress member who has been active in the party should be fielded.

"There is still scope for choosing another candidate. If the party gives the ticket to some other able aspirant by December 12, I will withdraw my nomination," he added.

"I am not rebelling against the party or its ideology. I am standing for the election only because of the party workers," he reiterated.

J P Hegde's daughter Divya who was also present on the occasion said, "We are not engaging in anti-party activities. We are with the Congress. But the party needs to listen to its workers. The Congress is nothing without its party workers. Pratapchandra Shetty has not been active in the party and he had even decided intially not to contest, so he does not deserve the ticket."

The party workers said that they want a change in the leadership and need an able leader as MLC. "Pratapchandra Shetty is the candidate of Congress leaders, but Jayaprakash Shetty and Bhujanga Shetty are candidates of the party workers," they said.