DAVANGERE: Hectic parleys are on in the district unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) with regard to the appointment of a party worker for the post of Chairman of the Davangere Urban Development Authority (DUDA).

There are four prominent candidates for the post, which is reserved for the BJP. They are Ekanath Raykar, Krishna Murthy Pawar, L. Basavaraj and Yashwanth Rao, all of whom are senior party workers who have served the BJP for many years. The party leadership is in a dilemma on whom to choose for the post.

Mr. Raykar, a senior advocate, is said to be the senior most of the four.

Mr. Pawar has served the party for about 15 years. A staunch follower of the late Mallikarjunappa, former MP, he had worked for that leader's victory in two Lok Sabha elections. Mr. Pawar has held different posts in the BJP's Yuva Morcha and is fairly popular among party members.

But a few leaders in the party say he is still too young and has a long way to go.

Mr. Basavaraj had been given the party ticket to contest for the Legislative Assembly in the 1996 by-elections and had later been nominated as president of the party's district unit. Many leaders say that since he has already held many posts, others should be given a chance.

Mr. Rao was president of the Davangere City Municipality some time ago.

Discontent

There is a sense of discontent among party workers over the selection of S.N. Shivakumar for the post of president of the Davangere city unit of the BJP. Workers were surprised when the party leaders allegedly ignored more senior workers and selected him.

There had been many contenders for the post if an election had been held. But the leaders had said that elections might lead to factionalism within the party, and appealed to the aspirants to leave it to them to select the "right" person.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail