Daijiworld Media Network – Udupi (SP)

Udupi, Jul 17: In all likelihood, the long innings of M A Gafoor as the district president of the Congress, is set to end shortly. His long innings, which commenced right after Pratapchandra Shetty, MLA, resigned as district president of the party after his shocking defeat in 1999 assembly election, may not last long, insiders believe.

Gafoor had been made ad hoc president of the district unit of the party for about 18 months after Shetty opted to resign. Thereafter, he was retained in 2004 and 2007, without any election, and with the support of top party leaders. As per the constitution of the party, a person can become president of the party’s unit for a maximum of two consecutive terms. The fact that this rule has been violated in the home ground of Oscar Fernandes, who often functions as a returning officer at the top level organizational elections, has given lot of heartburn to the aspiring leaders. The demand for Gafoor’s displacement got further teeth because of successive electoral defeats of the Congress in the district since 2004, in both assembly and Lok Sabha elections.

Gafoor in the meanwhile, expects a plum post in exchange for leaving the district presidentship of the party, it is thought. Organizational elections have already begun, with Byndoor and Vandse block units of the party having already been bagged by Vasudeva Yadiyal and Sanjeev Shetty respectively, through unanimous elections. In other blocks, a multi-cornered contest is on. Block elections have to be concluded before July 27.

Names of former Byndoor MLA, Gopal Poojary, ex-president of zilla panchayat, Raju Poojary, and entrepreneur from Malpe, Pramod Madhwaraj, are making the rounds to fill the above vacancy. The fact that the first two contestants hail from Byndoor constituency, which is not only away from the district headquarters, but also form a part of Shimoga Lok Sabha constituency, works to the advantage of Pramod Madhwaraj, sources in the party claim.