M.R. Tanga

GULBARGA: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has started looking for a replacement for M.R. Tanga, senior party leader and MLC representing the North-east Graduates constituency. Dr. Tanga, who has represented the constituency three times, has told the party leadership that he is not interested in contesting again due to health reasons.

Highly placed party sources told The Hindu that party leaders are on the lookout for a suitable candidate to replace Dr. Tanga who is convalescing in the U.S. after undergoing a major operation.

The sources said that Dr. Tanga has not been keeping good health for the past few months. Before leaving for the U.S. he said he did not want to contest the elections slated for June 2006.

It will be a tough task for the party to find a replacement for Dr. Tanga who has represented the constituency spread across Gulbarga, Raichur, Koppal, Bellary and Bidar districts and one taluk of Davangere in the Council from 1988.

The sources said that the party is toying with the idea of fielding a candidate from a district other than Gulbarga. The argument is that even the North-east Teachers constituency is represented by a leader from Gulbarga district, Shashil G. Namoshi.

Those in the race to replace Dr. Tanga include the industrialist and youth leader, Amarnath Patil, Manohar Maski from Sindhanur in Raichur district and Basavaraj Patil from Bidar. The sources said the party had almost decided to announce the name of Mr. Maski as the party candidate for the next elections, but withheld the announcement after Mr. Amarnath Patil staked his claim.

Congress on the lookout

Even the Congress has started looking for a suitable candidate well in advance. Prominent among those in the race are the former zilla panchayat President Allamprabhu Patil, the former Gulbarga Bar Association President M.N. Patil and the former Syndicate member Suryakant Koralli.

The Janata Dal (S) is yet to begin the process of selecting a candidate. Unconfirmed reports say the Shiv Sena plans to field a candidate in the June 2006 elections to the Council.

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