Udupi: Former Minister Jayaprakash Hegde All Set to Join Congress
Daijiworld Media Network – Udupi (MM/RD)
Udupi, Feb 15: Former minister, Jayaprakash Hegde has decided to join Congress, owing to the delimitation of constituencies by Election Commission, as he would be losing his constituency Brahmavar this time. Hegde was elected thrice from his native, Brahmavar constituency.
Delimitation of constituency has come heavily on Brahmavar which is all set to be another taluk. But owing to the pressure by almost all political parties, Brahmavar has lost out a chance to Kaup. The latter constituency which has lowest number of population and is nowhere near to be a taluk in the near future managed to escape the axe since it is being represented either by Congress or BJP in the past. But Brahmavar was represented by Jayaprakash Hegde who is an in dependent candidate. Since he did not have the strong backing of any political party, he could not push the cause of saving Brahmavar constituency at the time of delimitation.
Now it is almost confirmed that he would join Congress and contest from Kundapur which is being considered as the stronghold of BJP eversince Haladi Srinivas Shetty started representing it. Since there are no strong and able candidates to contest against popular MLA of Kundapur, Jayaprakash Hegde, who has strong support even in Kundapur is being considered as the possible candidate, sources said.
He has clarified that it is difficult to contest the election as an independent candidate in the coming election. Therefore, he has been exploring the chances at the patronage of Congress, he informed.
Jayaprakash Hegde was elected from Brahmavar constituency when he was with Janata Dal. Later, he served the coastal district as minister of sports and fisheries in the cabinet of Deve Gowda and J H Patel. Moreover, he deserted Janata Dal and contested in Brahmavar Legislative Assembly Constituency as an independent candidate when Janata Dal was split in two. It is proof of his abilities and popularity that he has managed to win 3 elections as an independent candidate. He is also been known as one of the most respected MLAs all over the state. The developmental works that he has carried out in Brahmavar constituency and his contact with each voter is indeed exemplary for other legislators. He has kept in touch with the voters not only during elections but even after that and that is why it has been quite impossible for major political parties such as BJP and Congress to snatch Brahmavar from him.
Having failed to defeat him in the elections, the major political parties have played a dirty game of eliminating Brahmavar constituency from the state map, say locals who have been a witness to Jayaprakash Hegde's developmental works for more than 2 decades.