Fate of 855 candidates to be decided today

Counting of votes in the Urban Local Body (ULB) elections to two City Municipal Councils (CMCs) and four Town Municipal Councils (TMCs) in Kolar district will begin tomorrow.

The fate of as many as 855 candidates will be decided on the day.

Along with the anticipation of candidates, curiosity and expectations of voters will render the atmosphere infectious on Monday.

Matter of prestige

Results of the ULB polls have turned out to be a matter of prestige for legislators, former legislators, leaders of various parties, emerging leaders and supporters of candidates with their eyes on the upcoming Assembly elections.

Added to this candidates who were denied tickets and were thus forced to contest as independents too are anxious about the results. As the results will determine their survival in parties. The results can also be seen as a strong bid by Congress, BJP and JD(S) parties to strengthen party politics.

In such a scenario, the poll results will prove crucial to Minister Varthur Prakash who is trying hard to give boost to factional politics in the region.

Also speculations are rife regarding the  Karnataka Janata Paksha (KJP), Badava-Shramika- Raita Congress (BSR-Congress) and the CPM establishing their stronghold in the district. Questions are being raised about the influence weilded by former minister K Srinivas Gowda, who quit Congress to join JD(S).

The Congress even while fielding challenges posed by the JD(S) and Minister Varthur Prakash has made all efforts to retain its dignity. Though the Congress won as many as 16 wards in Kolar City Municipal Council, last elections, the results will determine its fate this year.