Daijiworld Media Network – Udupi (SP)

Udupi, Nov 24: Two members are to be elected for the upper house from Dakshina Kannada local bodies constituency, comprising Udupi and Dakshina Kannada districts. Leaders of the BJP and Congress parties have started discussions in a bid to finalize the names of their respective candidates at the earliest.

From Udupi constituency, the name of Srinivas Poojary has mainly cropped up from the BJP. The fact that Srinivas Poojary could complete just 18 months, as he was elected in place of Congress MLC, Blasius D’Souza, who died, goes in his favour.  From the Congress Party however, sitting MLC Pratapchandra Shetty’s name has been in the forefront from among the aspirants, but there have been more interested candidates like district Congress president, M A Gafoor, zilla panchayat former president, Bhujanga Shetty, leaders Shyamala Bhandary, Sarala Kanchan etc.

From Dakshina Kannada district, names of Tejomaya, G A Bawa, K S M Masood and Sankappa Rai are making the rounds on behalf of the Congress Party. From BJP, Monappa Bhandary is ahead in the race of aspirants.

The present term of the 25 members of the 75-member legislative council, is set to end on January 5, 2010. From the local constituencies, the two districts together, have 6,074 votes, split between Dakshina Kannada (3,501) and Udupi (2,573).  It is most likely, that the two districts may elect one candidate each from the Congress and the BJP, considering the distribution of votes.

There are indications that the two parties may enter a ‘marriage of convenience’ by deciding to put forth a candidate each, by leaving the other district to the rivals. They are aware that fighting for votes by propping up two candidates each might work to the advantage of the third candidate, if a third candidate, who is strong and popular, enters the fray.