Aspirants make do-or-die attempt for ticket

As the D-day for the State Assembly election is fast approaching, all the political parties are busy making preparations. While the aspirants are going to the door steps of their leaders with their supporters as a final attempt to get ticket, those who are confidant of getting ticket, have already started arming themselves for the big fight.

In Chikmagalur constituency, the names of C T Ravi (BJP), C R Sageer Ahmed/Shantegowda (Congress), S L Dharmegowda/ S L Bhojegowda (JDS), S H Devaraj (KJP), Umesh Kumar (CPIML) are prominent. In Mudigere, MLA M P Kumaraswamy/ Deepak Dhoddaiah (BJP), B N Chandrappa/B B Ningaiah (Congress) Devi Prasad/ Chetan (JDS), Manjaiah (KJP), Saati Sundaresh (CPI), B R Rudraiah (CPIML) have been expecting ticket to contest the polls.

According to sources, in Sringeri, D N Devraj (BJP), D K Taradevi/ H G Venkatesh/ T D Rajegowda (Congress), H T Rajendra (JDS), Rukmini (CPIML) may get ticket, while in Kadur, Devaraj/ Rekha Huliyappagowda/Prsanna (BJP), K B Mallikarjuna, Kemparaju, Vinayak (Congress), Y S V Datta (JDS) and Belli Prakash (KJP) are in the forefront. From Tarikere, Avinash/ A C Chandrappa (BJP), T H Shivshankarappa/ T R Srinivas/ B R Neelakantappa/ S M Nagaraaju (Congress), D S Suresh (KJP), Shivanand/Haji Mastana (JDS) may get a chance.

From Chikmagalur, Mudigere and Sringeri constituencies, the sitting BJP MLAs would fight the elections, but the party leaders are searching for winning candidates for other two constituencies. In Mudigere, if the present MLA M P Kumaraswamy fails to get ticket, it may not be surprising. Though the party leaders prefer this two-time winner, it seems that there is a strong opposition from RSS leaders. Sources say that the senior party leaders including Anantha Kumar, D V Sadananda Gowda and K S Eshwarappa have already hinted about the RSS opinion during recently held BJP Vijaya Sankalpa Samavesha, in Koppa.

Meanwhile, from the JDS, the names of S L Dharmegowda, Y S V Datta and H T Rajendra have been finalised for Chikmagalur, Kadur and Sringeri constituencies respectively.

In Mudigere, if B B Ningaiah fails to get ticket from Congress, JDS is likely to welcome him with a red carpet. The party sources say that senior leaders have already discussed the matter. Even KJP has finalised the names of D S Suresh and Belli Prakash for Tarikere and Kadur constituencies, but the party is following ‘wait and see’ policy for Chikmagalur, Mudigere and Sringeri constituencies. Surprisingly, the Congress has not yet revealed any names.

Praying for anonymous candidate

It seems that all opposition parties have made up their mind to defeat C T Ravi, the two-time MLA from Chikmagalur. It seems that Congress District President M L Murthy, KJP State Executive H H Devaraj and JDS leaders have come out with a plan of fielding an anonymous candidate against Ravi.

It can be remembered that in 2004, all parties joined hands to defeat former minister C R Sageer Ahmed who won in 1984, 1989 and 1999.

Sources say that Congress, JDS, CPI and KJP local leaders have invited an ‘influential’ leader from the district, who is active in State politics. But the attempts have been failed as the leader opined that it is too late to take a decision. Still the issue of fielding an anonymous candidate is being discussed in State-level, sources said. “Fighting against a person in the elections is not good. We still have faith in values,” said a leader who doesn’t want his name to be revealed.