S V Sankanur of the BJP and Mohan Limbikai of the Congress
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Hubballi: The race for the ticket to contest the Legislative Council election from the Karnataka West Graduates' constituency, to be held next year, is gaining momentum in both the BJP and the Congress. The list of aspirants is long in the BJP, which has held the seat since 2008.
Even when the BJP has S V Sankanur as the incumbent MLC from this segment covering Dharwad, Gadag, Haveri and Uttara Kannada districts, it has more than two dozen aspirants this time, including Sankanur.
Both seasoned politicians and fresh faces are trying for the ticket in the two parties, and are engaged in groundwork like enrolling of voters.
Two-time MLC Sankanur, who defeated R M Kuberappa of the Congress in 2020 elections, is expecting the BJP ticket this time also. State BJP discipline committee chief Lingaraj Patil, corporators Shivu Hiremath, Rajanna Koravi, and Veeranna Savadi, and leaders such as Jayateertha Katti, Ravindranath Dandin, Shashishekhar Danganavar, and Kiran Uppar are among the BJP ticket aspirants.
A committee comprising senior leaders of the State BJP has already collected opinions from the aspirants, and their number is said to be more than 28.
"I have been active in organising the party for three decades, and I have good contacts with party workers in all four districts. My name was earlier shortlisted for the party ticket for the Rajya Sabha membership once and for the MLC post thrice. This time, I am confident of getting the ticket," said Lingaraj Patil, adding that his competition to get the ticket is with Sankanur.
Meanwhile, the Congress, which is set to make all-out efforts to win back this segment after 18 years, also has several leaders seeking the ticket to contest the polls. Meetings have been held to collect the opinions of leaders.
Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) vice-president Mohan Limbikai, who was BJP MLC from this seat in 2008, is one among the prominent names being heard in the race for the Congress ticket. He also wanted to become the party's candidate from Hubballi-Dharwad West Assembly constituency in 2023 and from Dharwad Lok Sabha constituency in 2024.
R M Kuberappa, Basavaraj Gurikar, and Sadanand Danganavar are among other Congress leaders who are aspiring to become the party candidate in the coming election from this constituency.