The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : Many controversial candidates bite the dust

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Wednesday, May 28, 2008
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Karnataka

Karnataka - Bangalore

Many controversial candidates bite the dust

K.V. Subramanya

BANGALORE: Although many of the controversial candidates, including those with criminal antecedents of a grave nature, who contested the 2008 Assembly elections, have been rejected by the voters all over the State and particularly in Bangalore, some have made it to the Assembly.

Bharatiya Janata Party candidate from Pulikeshinagar (Reserved) constituency in Bangalore B.C. Mylarappa, a suspended sociology professor of Bangalore University, not only lost the elections but was pushed to the third place. Mr. Mylarappa was in the eye of a controversy for alleged misappropriation of funds while he was Director of Correspondence Course and also for reported plagiarism of his Ph.D. thesis. He is even facing an inquiry for allegedly making abusive remarks against the Governor.

Builders lose

In Bangalore, two leading realtors and a film producer, whose houses were recently raided by the officials of the Income Tax Department, had to bite the dust. Realtors Kupendra Reddy (Congress, Bommanahalli) and Gottigere Manjunath (Janata Dal-Secular, Bangalore South) and the producer of the mega-hit Kannada movie “Mungaru Male,” E. Krishnappa (Janata Dal-Secular, Yelahanka) could not make it to the Assembly.

Janata Dal (Secular) candidate for the Mahalakshmi Layout constituency in Bangalore K. Gopalaiah too was relegated to the third place after the Congress and BJP. According to the police records, Mr. Gopalaiah, a former corporator from the Vrushabavathinagar ward, is an accused in criminal cases, including the murder of a BJP worker that took place in Kamakshipalya police station limits.

Loses deposit

Janata Dal (Secular) nominee from Shivajinagar, Ashwaq Ahmed, an accused in several criminal cases, forfeited his deposit.

In the Indi constituency in Bijapur district, the controversial former MLA Ravikant Patil (independent) was defeated by Sarvabhaum Bagli of the BJP.

Mr. Patil is facing charges of rape and murder in Maharashtra. He was elected thrice to the Assembly from Indi.

The former Speaker Ramesh Kumar of the Congress, who is an accused in a double murder case registered in Gownipalli police station, lost to his arch rival G.V. Venkatashiva Reddy of the Janata Dal (Secular) in the Srinivasapura constituency in Kolar district.

Three make it

However, three BJP candidates, who are accused in serious criminal cases, have won from Bellary district. The former Minister B. Sriramulu, who has been elected from Bellary, and his distant relative B. Nagendra, elected from Kudligi, are accused in attempt-to-murder and dacoity cases.

The newly elected BJP legislator from Vijayanagara and leading mine owner, Anand Singh, is also accused in an attempt to murder case.

Another controversial BJP candidate who has emerged victorious is M.P. Renukacharya, who has been elected for the second consecutive term from the Honnali constituency in Davanagere district.

A couple of months ago Mr. Renukacharya had made the headlines after B.V. Jayalakshmi, a nurse, attempted suicide following alleged harassment by him.

On Jayalakshmi’s complaint, the Chandra Layout police had registered a criminal case against Mr. Renukacharya. He is also an accused in nearly 10 cases in the Honnali police station.

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