Bypolls invite speculation

Parties worried about repercussions of court verdict on Sampangi

If Sampangi’s disqualification comes through, then the by-elections will be held in the constituency.

However, if the court quashes the Speaker’s orders, then Sampangi is likely to resign and contest  as an independent with the support of the Congress and the JD(S), according to Sampangi’s supporters.

They further say that if Sampangi contests from either party, then the respective party should not field its candidates in the bypolls.

This is the kind of internal agreement that both the parties have agreed to with Sampangi.

However, he will have to choose between the parties, according to his convenience, the supporters add.

At the same time, the Congress and the BJP are worried as to what the repercussions could be if the court would unhold Sampangi’s ineligibility.

Sense of pride

In the present political scenario, only the BJP requires a new candidate for the bypolls. The Kolar Gold Fields Assembly constituency, which has been bagged by the BJP for the first time, has enthused a sense of pride among the BJP workers. They want to save their seats for the second time also and are striving to ensure victory again.

The spirit of the BJP workers is so high that it is almost felt that the byelections are already around the corner. At the same time, there is the responsibility of searching an ideal candidate who can give tough time to the Congress and the JD(S).

MLC D S Veeraiah, Labour leader K Rajendran, Dr Dinakaran, who had once contested on a BJP ticket and lost, Venkatesh and several others have shown keen interest of contesting in the byelections.

According to political calculations, instead of giving preferences to the newcomers, it is being decided to give a chance to people who had already been MLAs in the region to ensure smooth victory in the byelections.

In this backdrop, the names of former MLA of Bethamangala constituency B P Venkatamuniyappa and Bangarpet MLA M Narayanaswamy are prominently being heard. The BJP is trying to draw Narayanaswamy, though he has not several achievements to boast of.

Efforts on

M Narayanaswamy is an MLA from Kysamballi which belongs to Kolar Gold Fields constituency. He resides in Bethamangala and is familiar with the people around. Efforts are on to bring them back to the BJP fold.

Also, if Narayanaswamy agrees to contest as a BJP candidate, then measures will be worked out to offer Bangarpet constituency to B P Venkatamuniyappa.

The workers in the rural areas of Kolar Gold Fields are already bringing pressure on Venkatamuniyappa to contest in the elections. Most of the areas which come under Bethamangala constituency presently come under the Kolar Gold Fields constituency.

When he got elected from Bethamangala constituency on a BJP ticket earlier, he won a large number of votes from this region. Now that the BJP government is heading the State administration, victory should be a cakewalk, the workers feel.

“So far there have been no discussions on contesting from the Kolar Gold Fields constituency. I will act according to the directions of the High Command,” B P Venkatamuniyappa told the Deccan Herald.

“There are no such proposals at present,” said MLA M Narayanaswamy and added, “Some of the mediators tried to draw me into the BJP fold during the BJP Government’s confidence motion.

“After that, no efforts were made. The reports which have appeared in a section of media that I will be joining the BJP are baseless,” he said.