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BJP to field Bajarang Dal leader in Bijapur

By Our Staff Correspondent

BIJAPUR NOV. 11. The BJP leaders have recommended the name of Basavaraj Siddalingappanavar, President of the Bagalkot District Bajarang Dal unit, for the December 1 Legislative Council election from the Bijapur local authority constituency consisting of Bijapur and Bagalkot districts.

The BJP MLA from Bagalkot, P.H. Pujar, told The Hindu that Mr. Siddalingappanavar, who had been associated with the Sangha Parivar for the past two decades, was the choice of the party's local units, and a final decision had to be taken by the party's State leadership in this regard. Meanwhile, sources in the party said although many leaders from the major communities staked their claim, the local leadership zeroed in on Mr. Siddalingappanavar, a Kuruba, considering the strength of the backward classes in the electorate.

The Janata Dal (S), headed by the former Prime Minister, H.D. Deve Gowda, had re-nominated the MLC, B.G. Patil Halasangi, who belong to the Ganiga sub-sect of the Lingayats. S.R. Patil, MLC from the Congress, had again sought the party ticket. Since the powerful Reddy Lingayat lobby has been pressing his case, he may be re-nominated. The AIPJD was also likely to field a candidate from the Lingayat community.

Sources in the BJP said these were the reasons for the party to field a Kuruba. Meanwhile, the AIPJD leaders, who met in Bangalore this evening, decided to announce the party candidate only on Thursday after seeing the list of the Congress.

The former MLA, Govind Karjol, told The Hindu that senior party leaders from both the districts would be meeting in Bijapur on Thursday. The party leadership had left the responsibility of finalising the candidate for the Bijapur local authority constituency to the local leaders. There would be only one candidate from the party, he said.

Meanwhile sources said the name of the former MLC and the chief of Bagalkot district unit of the AIPJD, P.C. Gaddigoudar, had almost been finalised. However, the former Minister, Ajaykumar Saranayak, a Reddy-Lingayat, would also be considered, if the Congress denied ticket to Mr. S.R. Patil.

Aspirants in the Congress, including the former Union Minister, Siddu Nyamegouda, did a last ditch efforts to further their chances even as the State leaders left for Delhi with a provisional list of candidates. However, the party was in dilemma over the question whether to contest for only one seat or both. But sources said if the BJP selected a member from backward class community, the chances of Congress fielding candidates for both seats were remote.

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