Political activities gaining momentum in Kodagu

Election for ZP chief, deputy posts on August 24

 
With the ‘mini election’ fast approaching, political activities have gained momentum at the district-level. While restoring power at the Zilla Panchayat is the greatest challenge in front of Congress right now, BJP on the other hand has been trying to take away the chair by taking anti-Congress powers into confidence.

The Congress had lost its face in the recent Standing Committee elections. It had faced greater insult with its own members supporting BJP members during this election and hence many say that it would not be surprising if the same formula works to BJP’s favour this time.

Seat matrix

There are 29 members in Zilla Panchayat, of which 15 are Congress members, 10 BJP, 3 JD(S) and one independent member. Since Congress denied ticket to H S Ashok, he contested as an independent candidate and emerge victorious. Later, with the support of BJP, he enjoyed a tenure as ZP President. B C Neelamma was the vice-president then.

During the second tenure, Ashok deceived BJP and hence Congress came to power with Dheergakeshi Shivanna and Rajamma Rudraiah as president and vice-president respectively. With the end of their tenure, Standing Committee for Social Justice President S N Rajarao became the president.

Postponement

The election for the posts of president and vice-president for the last tenure was postponed from last 2 months after the reservation chaos went up to High Court.

The High Court ordered that the elections will be held according to the reservations announced for the elections scheduled as on May 4, 2009, making conducting of election easier for the authorities concerned.

However, political scenario at the district-level has changed a lot. V P Shashidhar, who won from JD(S) ticket has now joined the Congress wagon. Former minister B A Jeevijaya joined JD(S) quitting Congress. His son Sanjay Jeevijaya and staunch follower V M Vijaya too joined JD(S) along with him. Former Congressman S N Rajarao joined BJP and the rest is history. Though Congress members kept rebelling against the party rather openly, party high command failed to take action against those members.

The election to be held on August 24 will be power packed one as possibilities of political changes and transformations cannot be ruled out.

This time the President’s post has been reserved for BCM(A) and Vice-President’s post has been reserved for general (woman).

Names of Abdul Latheef, A Lokesh Kumar, K M Balakrishna and V M Vijay are being heard as aspirants for the post of President. It is said that internal problems will swell for Congress if it decides not to support V M Vijaya. Many say that BJP can come to power if it supports V M Vijaya.

Mysterious step

The path that independent candidate H S Ashok will take is still mysterious. With JD(S) becoming a collapsing castle, JD(S) member H B Ganesh joining hands with Congress cannot be ruled out. A Congress member on condition of anonymity said that three supporters of former minister Jeevijaya will support only if Abdul Latheef becomes the president. The possibilities of these three members supporting A Lokesh Kumar is bleak.

Hence, possibilities of difference within Congress and deceptive activities by Congress members are more, says the member.

Congress, which learnt a lesson the hardest way in the standing committee election
is said to have decided to implement whip, which is the only way left for it to save its power at the ZP. Any member who violates the whip can be thrown out of the party.

Senior leaders of Congress have failed to keep a tight leash over the members.

Due to this, Congress is compelled to try all possible tricks to restore its power, despite having majority.

The internal drift and differences of Congress is certainly going to be a boon for BJP, which BJP members will surely cash on.

The political activities in the House of BJP is going to get intense with the return of Deputy Speaker K G Bopaiah and MLA M P Appachuranjan, who are on foreign tour at present.

All in all, ZP Presidential and Vice-Presidential polls are going to be a political surprise package amidst all speculations.