The party high command had decided to issue the ‘B’ form to Sayyed Saifulla belonging to the Muslim community. Helicopter, carrying four Congress leaders including KPCC Secretary Manjunath Bandari and AICC Secretary Harindra Mirda landed at ITI College ground at 1.15 pm.

The leaders directly drove to the corporation office and Manjunath Bandari entered into the returning officer’s office where he asked as to who is Sayyed Saifulla and told him that the ‘B’ form had been issued to him. Instead of handing over the ‘B’ form directly to the returning officer, Bandari held brisk discussions with Saifulla at the corporation office’s premises.

Nominations filed

On hearing the news that ‘B’ form had been issued to Saifulla, supporters of former minister S S Mallikarjun started shouting slogans. Interestingly, expecting the ‘B’ form, S S Mallikarjun had already filed his nominations as Congress candidate for Davangere North constituency on Monday.

Bandari and other leaders who accompanied him, spoke to the party leaders in Delhi and Bangalore on mobile.
Some Congress workers even attempted to snatch the briefcase which Congress leader Balaraj possessed, containing the ‘B’ form. When only five minutes were left for the filing nominations, the high command was said to have directed the leaders to issue the ‘B’ form in the name of Sayyed Saifulla or else fly back to Bangalore.

As per the high command’s direction, Bandari wrote Saifulla’s name in the ‘B’ form and handed it over to him. Saifulla, who seemed anxious, wrote Mallikarjun’s name under his name. Mallikarjun, who arrived to the spot by that time, was said to have directed Saifulla to strike out his name.

Bowing to the pressure Saifulla removed his name in the form and wrote Mallikarjun’s name, which was subsequently submitted to the returning officer.