The Hindu : Straight fight between Cong. and JD(S) in Hassan

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Nov 29, 2003

Southern States

Southern States - Karnataka

Straight fight between Cong. and JD(S) in Hassan

By Our Staff Correspondent

HASSAN NOV. 28. The biennial elections to the Legislative Council from the local bodies constituencies in Hassan district have entered an interesting phase as the Congress and Janata Dal(S) have taken it to be a prestige issue.

Apparently it is a straight fight between the Congress and Janata Dal(S) in Hassan as no other party has fielded its candidate. The ruling Congress has fielded the former Chairman of the Hassan Urban Development Authority, S.M. Anand, who has been the President of the District Congress Committee in the past.

He contested on the Congress ticket in the Parliamentary elections in 1996 against Y.N. Rudresh Gowda and got defeated.

The Janata Dal(S) has fielded its district unit President, Patel Shivaram.

The electoral college consists of 3,815 voters from 266 local bodies, including gram, town and taluk panchayats, town and city municipal councils and the Hassan Zilla Panchayat. As many as 25 nominated members in these local bodies will also caste their votes in the election scheduled on December 1. While the district in-charge and Revenue Minister, H.C. Srikantaiah, the MP, G. Puttaswamy Gowda, and eight MLAs are campaigning for Mr. Anand, the MP, H.K. Javare Gowda, the former Minister, H.D. Revanna, the former MP, H.D. Kumaraswamy, are backing Mr. Shivaram.

The Congress has taken this election seriously as it experienced a face loss in the recent elections to the posts of Presidents and Vice-Presidents of the Zilla Panchayat. The defection of five of its zilla panchayat members to the Janata Dal(S) forced it to lose hold over the panchayat.

But this time the district Congress, which was a divided house over the admission of four BJP MLAs earlier, is trying to put up a united face. This follows warnings from the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee President, B. Janardhana Poojary.

On the other hand, the entry of Mr. Kumaraswamy has instilled confidence in the Janata Dal(S) camp.

In Hassan taluk, the Congress and the Janata Dal(S) enjoy equal support in 41 local bodies with 666 voters. However, the campaigning by senior Congress leaders, including Mr. Srikantaiah, has created ripples in the Janata Dal(S) camp.

With the support of the MLA, B.B. Shivappa, and Krishna Prasad, who defected to the Congress recently, the Congress is confident of garnering the maximum number of votes in Sakleshpur taluk which has 27 local bodies consisting of 306 voters.

The situation in Alur taluk is not any different. The taluk has 214 voters from 16 local bodies.

In Holenarsipur taluk, which has 391 voters in 27 local bodies, the Janata Dal(S) is trying to taking advantage of the differences between Mr. Puttaswamy Gowda, and the MLA, A. Dodde Gowda.

Though the Janata Dal(S) faced problems in Belur initially with rumours of defection by the former MP, Y.N. Rudresh Gowda, it has now heaved a sigh of relief as Mr. Gowda is working for Mr. Shivaram.

Belur has 437 voters from 38 local bodies.

The 472 voters from 30 local bodies in Arkalgud taluk are believed to be favouring the Congress even as there are differences between the former MLA, A.T. Ramaswamy, and the MLA, A. Manju.

The defection of the former Zilla Panchayat President, G.S. Gurusiddappa, is said to have caused some problems for the Congress in Arsikere taluk, which has the highest number of local bodies, 46, and the maximum number of voters, 688, in the district.

However, as the District Congress Committee President, G.V. Siddappa, represents this constituency, and it is believed that he would upset the applecart of the Janata Dal(S).

The Gandsi MLA, B. Shivaram, with his support base in his constituency, is expected to fetch the maximum number of votes for the Congress.

The Janata Dal(S) enjoys support in Channarayapatna, which has 641 voters from 41 local bodies voters, though Mr. Srikantaiah represents the constituency.

Though it is not an easy task for the Congress after its defeat in the zilla panchayat, the leadership is making an all-out effort to settle scores with the Janata Dal(S).

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Straight fight between Cong. and JD(S) in Hassan