Daijiworld Media Network – Mangalore (SP)

Mangalore, Dec 3: Political circles are abuzz with the news that behind-the-scene efforts are at full swing, to ensure that the legislative council election for the two seats from Dakshina Kannada local bodies constituency, will be an unanimous affair.

With the withdrawal of his nomination by K Kushala, former Sullia MLA, who was the only candidate of some eminence among the five candidates who had filed their nominations, sparing the official candidates of the Congress and the BJP, six people remain in the fray as of now. Friday is the last day for the withdrawal of nominations.

As the sitting MLCs, Kota Srinivas Poojary and Pratapchandra Shetty, are backed by the BJP and the Congress Party respectively, and as both the parties have played it safe by fielding one candidate each, the other candidates do not have any chance of bagging the seats. Political analysts believe, that the election if held, will be a one-sided affair and unnecessary exercise, as the other candidates are neither of much consequence, nor do they have any solid backing. The independent candidates could have hoped to make a dent in the vote bank, only if the two major political parties had fielded more than one candidate each. Udupi district Congress Committee president, M A Gafoor, has already said that the withdrawal of nomination by Kushala has paved way for unanimous election.

It is expected, that on Thursday December 3, four other candidates will withdraw from the fray, thus saving efforts and money for themselves and the government. Once this takes place, the two candidates, one each from the BJP and Congress Party, will be declared elected unopposed.