MLC polls: Eight remain in fray for Mysuru-Ch'nagar seat

With Saturday being the last day to withdraw nominations, five candidates withdrew their papers, according to Additional Deputy Commissioner T Venkatesh, also assistant returning officer for the election to the Legislative Council from Mysuru-Chamarajanagar local bodies constituency. The election is scheduled to be held on December 27, for the dual-member seat.

Akeel Ahmed from Tilak Nagar, H D Devesh from K R Nagar taluk, Parashivamurthy from HD Kote taluk, Manjunath from Nanjangud town and R Ravindrakumar, an independent corporator, all who had filed nominations as independents have withdrawn.

According to available information at the time of nomination, Manjunath had filed two sets of nominations, one as an independent and another as Janata Dal (Secular) nominee, though the party had given ticket to sitting MLC S Nagaraju (Sandesh). Ravindrakumar, who had filed his nomination in three sets had also proclaimed himself as JD(S) rebel candidate, as the party had not considered his request for ticket. On Friday, N Sathish, an independent from Chamarajanagar district, has also withdrawn.

With this, a total of eight candidates remain in the fray and prominent among them are sitting MLCs R Dharmasena from Congress and S Nagaraju (Sandesh) from Janata Dal (Secular); R Raghu from BJP; and former MLA and Kannada Chaluvali Vatal Paksha president Vatal Nagaraj.

K M Parashivamurthy, M N Manojgagan, Ayub Khan and Puttasubbappa are the remaining independent candidates. Interestingly, Manojgagan has also filed papers as BJP candidate. It is believed that Parashivamurthy is a Congress worker, who jumped into the fray as independent, after denial of ticket.

Barring JD(S), both Congress and BJP are facing the heat of rebel candidates. However, the only relief is the rebel candidates are not prominent leaders, who can influence the voters, denting the prospects of the respective party candidates, according to leaders.