Daijiworld Media Network - Udupi (SP)

Udupi, Dec 10: "The district Congress had called for a pre-election meeting for legislative council about a month in advance. The ticket aspirants were advised to file applications. Ten aspirants handed over applications, while Pratapchandra Shetty clearly said he was not inclined to enter the race. But in a dramatic development later, without holding any discussions or exchanging of information, the party announced Pratapchandra Shetty, who had not filed any application, as its candidate. This is tragic," said former MP and state minister, Jayaprakash Hegde.

He was addressing a press conference organized at Kota block Congress office in the taluk on Wednesday December 9 jointly with another independent candidate from Congress, Shankar Kunder.

"We three - Bhujanga Shetty, Shankar Kunder and I - have filed nomination papers. Out of us, one will stay in the race as a unanimous candidate," Hegde said. He accused senior leaders of the party of not contacting him to seek his opinion.

He expressed his readiness to take part in the dialogue if the party is prepared to hold discussions by bringing together all the aspirants on a single forum. "I had been given ticket from Kundapur assembly constituency when no one else was prepared to fight. During Lok Sabha election, similar situation had arisen again. But Pratapchandra Shetty apparently gets chosen as a candidate after his victory is assured. Let him be fielded for the next assembly election, and let me be the party candidate for the council this time," Hegde said.

Shankar Kunder said that party leaders should have collected opinions of the party workers, because of whom elections are lost or won. He said he has been demanding a ticket this time on the basis of his performance as Kota zilla panchayat member, director of KFDC, president of Kody gram panchayat twice, secretary of district Congress committee, secretary of Brahmavar block Congress committee, president of Brahmavar youth Congress, and vice president of district Congress during the last 38 years.

Both Kunder and Hege warned that they should not be blamed if the party faces reverses on account of their candidature.

Udupi-Chikkamagaluru constituency youth Congress secretary, Pruthviraj Shetty, Airody gram panchayat president, Moses Rodrigues, Saligrama town panchayat opposition leader, Srinivas Ameen, and block Congress secretary, Gopal Bangera, were present.