JD(S) chief asks poll candidates to pay application fees

In a move that is likely to create a rift within the party, JD(S) state president C M Ibrahim on Thursday said candidates contesting the Assembly election must cough up hefty application fees.

"We are charging Rs 1 lakh for candidates belonging to the general category and Rs 50,000 for SC/STs," Ibrahim said.

The JD(S) has already announced its first list of 93 candidates for the Assembly election. Apparently, the application fees will be applicable to them as well.

Defending the move, Ibrahim said: "We are deciding candidates keeping social justice in mind. We are not charging the application fees to all ticket aspirants. It is for those who get the ticket."

Candidates have been asked to pay the amount via demand draft or cheque to the party fund.

However, this has irked candidates. "There was no information or instruction from the party about this,” said one candidate whose name was on the first list. The candidate said the matter would be raised with JD(S) legislature party leader HD Kumaraswamy.

Meanwhile, sources close to Kumaraswamy said that the former chief minister is unlikely to approve of Ibrahim’s move.

Ibrahim’s decision is similar to what Congress did this time. The Congress is said to have raised Rs 23 crore in the ticket application process. The party had fixed Rs 5,000 as the application fees. Also, general category applicants had to pay Rs 2 lakh and SC/STs Rs 1 lakh.