Karnataka - Mangalore   

Poll battle lines drawn in Dakshina Kannada

MANGALORE: With the Congress indicating names of candidates for the remaining three constituencies, the battle lines in most constituencies of Dakshina Kannada have become clear, even prior to the completion of process of filing nominations and their withdrawal.

Barring remotely possible rejection of nominations of candidates fielded by the national party and unexpected changes that may be made while issuing Form B to the candidates, the scene may remain unaltered.

Pending a formal announcement, the candidates for the three constituencies, according to the sources in the district Congress, are: Bondala Jagannath Shetty for Puttur, B. Raghu for Sullia (reserved for Scheduled Caste) and Vasanth Bangera for Belthangady. The party had announced candidates for five constituencies, earlier.

In a district of eight constituencies, the battle scene is hazy only in Mangalore City South and Bantwal where the Congress candidates may have to face rebels.

Moodbidri and Puttur are likely to witness three-cornered contests. In Moodbidri, the contest will be among Abhajayachandra Jain of the Congress, K.P. Jagadish Adhikari of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and K. Amaranath Shetty of the Janata Dal (Secular).

In Puttur, the BJP has a rebel candidate in Shakunthala Shetty, who has announced her decision to contest as an independent. Thus the party’s nominee, Mallika Prasad, will face Ms. Shetty of her own party and Bondala Jagannath Shetty of the Congress.

In rest of the constituencies, it will be a straight contest between the BJP and the Congress. Such constituencies and candidates are: Sullia between S. Angara of the BJP and B. Raghu of the Congress; Belthangady - K. Prabhakar Bangera of the BJP and Vasanth Bangera of the Congress; Mangalore - Padmanabh Kottari, BJP and U.T. Khader, Congress; and Mangalore City North (B. Krishna Palemar, BJP and Moideen Bava, Congress.

The scene in Bantwal and Mangalore City South is hazy because the Congress aspirants who did not get tickets are likely to enter the fray. In Bantwal, the ticket aspirant and former Vittla MLA K.M. Ibrahim has decided to contest the elections. In such an event, former Minister and district Congress president B. Ramanath Rai will have to face Mr. Ibrahim and B. Nagaraj Shetty of BJP, a former.

In Mangalore City South, ticket aspirant and former chairman of Mangalore Urban Development Authority Suresh Ballal continues to sulk at being denied ticket. He said his supporters wanted him to contest the elections as a rebel candidate but he was yet to take a decision. If he throws his hat in the ring, official candidate of the Congress and district Congress vice-president Ivan D’souza will be locked in a three-cornered contest trhat includes former BJP MLA Yogish Bhat.

The Congress has given the ticket for Belthangady to Vasanth Bangera, who recently migrated from the Janata Dal (S).

Mr. Bondal Jagannath Shetty (38), who has got the ticket for Puttur, is a novice to Assembly elections. He is the president of Dakshina Kannada Youth Congress. He has overtaken other leaders such as Bharath Mundodi. Mr. Mundodi is said to have the support of former Chief Minister M. Veerappa Moily while Mr. Shetty the support of former Udupi MP, Vinyakumar Sorake.

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