Mangalore: After Assembly, Now Congress, BJP Set for MLC Election
Daijiworld Media Network - Mangalore (MSP)
Mangalore, Jun 2: Immediately after the assembly election, undivided Dakshina Kannada will be facing another election for the lone post of Member of Legislative Council (MLC), which fell vacant owing to the demise of Blasius M D'Souza. The election commission has decided to conduct election for this post on June 26.
The members of all the local bodies in Dakshina Kannada and Udupi, village panchayats, taluk and zilla panchayats, MPs, MLAs and MLCs have the right to cast their votes in this election.
Earlier, this seat was in the hands of Congress as this party was enjoying power in majority of the local bodies and panchayats. Now the situation has been altered in the undivided Dakshina Kannada district owing to the pro-BJP wave witnessed here. The BJP has been successful in taking over many of the local bodies and taluk, village panchayats here. Therefore, the BJP has been confident of annexing this seat in the coming election.
Suresh Ballal
There is a big queue of ticket aspirants from both the Congress and the BJP as both the parties have good chance to win this election. Even JD (S) is also thinking of fielding a candidate here. Moiddin Bava and Ivan D'Souza, who lost the assembly elections recently, Kallige Taranath Shetty, Suresh Ballal and Navin D'Souza are the strong contenders from Congress to fight this election.
In addition, the Christian community is demanding this seat for a Christian, as it was in the hands of Christian candidates. Therefore, Ivan D'Souza and Navin D'Souza are eying this election. But the defeat of Ivan D'Souza in the last assembly election has hindered the prospects of both Ivan and Navin D'Souza.
Christians were given chances in Mangalore constituency consecutively for 5 times. Blasius D'Souza in 1989, 1994, 1999, Lancelot Pinto in 2004 and Ivan D'Souza in 2008 fought the MLA elections in the city. None of them was successful in winning the elections here. Therefore, non-Christians too re demanding this seat from the Congress.
On the other hand Suresh Ballal who at the eleventh hour withstood the temptation of contesting the election as independent or Congress rebel candidate after he was denied party ticket by the Congress too is in the race. After announcing that he will not be contesting as rebel candidate, he had said that party leaders had promised him a better position. So was he hinting indirectly about an MLC seat? Only time will tell the answer.
Nagaraj Shetty and Padmanabha Kottari
Meanwhile, former minister Nagaraj Shetty, former MLA Padmanabh Kottari and BJP district president Monappa Bhandary are the strong contenders from BJP for the same post. Both Nagaraj Shetty and Padmanabh Kottari lost a certain ministerial post in Yadyurappas' cabinet owing to their defeat in the last assembly elections. Therefore, both are doing their best to enter Vidhana Soudha through the back door (MLC ticket). Monappa Bhandary, who led the party in the district as a president of the party is also eager to enjoy power at the Vidhana Soudha. Therefore, selection of candidate for MLC seat has become a tough job for the BJP high command.
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