JOIN USWith the election to the State Legislative Council from Mysore-Chamarajanagar local bodies segment scheduled to be held on December 27, BJP leader and MLC V Somanna, on Monday, dared Chief Minister Siddaramaiah to prove his mettle in his home turf in the election.
Addressing party workers at a programme, organised by city and rural units of the BJP in Mysuru district, at the North Gate of Mysuru Palace, ahead of the nomination of party’s nominee to the poll, Somanna referred to a reported statement of the chief minister that “Congress party would win 20 out of 25 seats in the election to local bodies in the State.”
Somanna said, “I would quit politics if the chief minister’s words turn true, as BJP has all chances to win not less than 16 seats from Mysuru to Bidar and Hubballi-Dharwad to Kalaburagi constituencies, to name a few.”
Somanna exhorted the party workers to strive hard and to utilise the opportunity to send a message to the rivals who are already riled by the revision in reservation list for the forthcoming Zilla Panchayat and Taluk Panchayat elections.
He recalled, “It was how the party benefitted by emerging as a single largest party in the recent elections to the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP), due to the unscientific reservation of the seats.” In addition to this, several programmes initiated by the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government at the Centre like infusing funds at Gram Panchayat level to take up works under Swachh Bharat Abhiyan and the achievements of previous BJP government in the State should be made use of in wooing the voters, he said.
Nominations filed
In all, four candidates filed their nomination papers on Monday. R Raghu filed his nomination as BJP candidate, followed by Manjunath as Janata Dal (Secular) nominee, Parashivamurthy K M and Ayub Khan as independents.
Unlike others, Raghu filed his nomination in two sets, proposed by different parties, including his party corporators.
Candidates announced
Though both Congress and Janata Dal (Secular) have announced the candidatures of sitting MLCs R Dharmasena and Sandesh Nagaraju respectively, they are yet to file their nominations.