Kundgol: Rebellion in Cong-JD(S) doused

Efforts of Congress-JD(S) alliance leaders to douse rebellion in Kundgol Assembly constituency by-elections yielded results, with six Congress rebels and a JD(S) rebel candidate withdrawing their nomination on Thursday.

On the last day to withdraw papers, six Congress leaders who had filed papers as they could not get Congress ticket, withdrew their nomination. Shivanand Bentur, Suresh Savanur, Vishwanath Kubihal, Chandrashekhar Juttal, G D Ghorpade, and H L Nadaf withdrew their papers. Food & Civil Supplies Minister B Z Zameer Ahmed Khan was engaged n convincing them since Wednesday.

Meanwhile, JD(S) leaders Basavaraj Horatti, N H Konaraddi, Congress Leaders Vinay Kulkarni and Prasad Abbayya convinced JD(S) leader Hazarat Ali Jodamani to withdraw his nomination, and to work for the victory of the alliance candidate from the Congress.

Among 22 candidates, 14 candidates withdrew their nominations on Thursday, which was the last day to withdraw nominations. Elections for this seat, which fell vacant after the demise of minister C S Shivalli, will be held on May 19. With 1,89,291 eligible voters, polling will be held at 214 polling stations.

Now, eight candidate are in the poll fray, while six are independent candidates. This has resulted in a more clear straight fight between Congress candidate Kusumavati Shivalli, wife of C S Shivalli, and BJP candidate S I Chikkanagoudar, who had become MLA thrice earlier.

Independent candidates Eshwarappa Bhandiwad, Tulasappa Dasar, Raju Nayakwadi, Shaila Goni, Siddappa Godi, and Somanna Meti have also remained in the fray.

Cong team

Meanwhile, the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) has appointed ministers R V Deshpande, D K Shivakumar, KPCC campaigning committee chairman H K Patil and AICC secretary Manickam Tagore as the overall in-charge for Kundgol by-polls.

Former ministers Vinay Kulkarni and Santosh Lad are in joint in-charge positions, while five leaders including Anilkumar Patil and Altaf Hussain Halwoor are appointed as co-ordinators.

On Friday (May 3) evening, KPCC president Dinesh Gundu Rao, Coalition Government Co-ordination Committee chairman Siddaramaiah, minister D K Shivakumar and others will take part in a campaigning meeting to be held at Samshi village.