BELAGAVI: The district BJP unit is hoping to get some clarity on the candidate for the upcoming bypoll to the Belagavi Lok Sabha seat when some party leaders meet Home Minister Amit Shah during his visit to Belagavi on January 17. For many ticket aspirants, this seat assumes significance as it has been won by the party for the past four years. Given the prevailing political trend in the Belagavi region, the saffron outfit is expected to retain the seat without much resistance from the rival parties this time too.
Notwithstanding the pressure being exerted by a section of the party leadership to field a family member of former MP Suresh Angadi, whose death due to Covid-19 necessitated the bypoll, many party leaders, lobbying for the ticket, are trying to tap their links with the RSS ranks and the BJP leadership in New Delhi. This is because they are aware of the key role the RSS had played in the allotment of party tickets in the last state assembly polls and the formation of the state cabinet.
Some loyal party workers, linked closely to CM B S Yediyurappa, are not so confident of getting the ticket due to their lack of connections with the RSS leadership, sources said.A surprise could be Dr Girish Sonwalkar, whose name is doing the rounds, though he joined the party recently. A noted general surgeon, Dr Sonwalkar enjoys the support of a section of the party leadership, which is close to the RSS ranks.
He said, “I am in the race for the ticket. But I don’t have clarity on what basis the party will select a candidate.”With vast experience in state politics, Shankargouda Patil said he is a strong contender too. Patil is confident of winning the seat if he is given the ticket.