Daijiworld Media Network - Udupi (SP)
Udupi, Dec 12: Former state minister and MP, Jayaprakash Hegde, has stayed firm on his stand to contest the coming legislative council election despite request of the chief minister (CM) to withdraw from the race.
It is learnt that Karnataka chief minister, Siddaramaiah, contacted Hegde over telephone on Thursday December 11 to request him to withdraw his candidature. Hegde told the CM to allow him to do what he has decided to, and conveying his confidence at winning the election.
This development has almost dumped the hope of Congress to make Pratapchandra Shetty's election a smooth affair. The party leaders were hopeful that Hegde would bow to the wishes of the CM.
Saturday happens to be the last day for withdrawal of candidature. District Congress president, K Gopal Poojary, has requested both Bhujanga Shetty and Shankar Kunder to withdraw their nominations. There is widespread resentment in the district about fielding Pratapchandra Shetty again for the council election. Still, Kunder and Shetty are likely to withdraw their nominations today, and express their support for the candidature of Jayaprakash Hegde.
In the meanwhile, Sanjeev Matandoor, who had filed nomination papers as a dummy candidate of the BJP for the forthcoming council election from local bodies constituency, has withdrawn from the race on Friday. Matandoor happens to be the district general secretary of BJP. With this, Kota Srinivas Poojary, official candidate of BJP, has remained in the race and he is expected to have a smooth sailing.