Daijiworld Media Network – Mangalore (MM/CN)

Mangalore, Jun 9: Three candidates filed their nominations for the MLC by-elections with the district commissioner (DC) M Maheshwar Rao on Monday, June 9.

The candidates are Kota Srinivas Poojary of the BJP, Nityananda Mundodi of the Congress, and Ravikiran, contesting as an independent.

Poojary has been serving as the Udupi district president of the BJP and has also been the party’s candidate for the post of MLA from Brahmavar constituency, before former minister Jayaprakash Hegde.

Mundodi, who is a leader of the Vokkaliga Gowda community, has served as president of Sullia block Congress. The decision to make Mundodi the party candidate, is being seen as an effort to make amends for the Congress’ failure to give prominence to Mundodi’s community in the previous assembly elections.

Interestingly, prominent BJP leader Ram Bhat and former MLA Shakuntala Shetty, have decided to throw their weight behind independent candidate Ravikiran, also a member of the ‘Svabhimani Vedike’. The forming of such an organization and fielding a candidate is seen as a display of power by the two leaders.

 Shakuntala Shetty was denied MLA ticket during the last assembly elections in Puttur constituency. Later, she contested as an independent candidate and bagged a substantial number of votes.