BELAGAVI: The BJP and Congress, arch rivals in Belagavi region, are gearing up to select their candidates for the Belagavi Lok Sabha bypoll, scheduled for April 17. The election code of conduct kicked into effect on Tuesday, with the Election Commission announcing the bypoll schedule. March 30 will be the last date for submission of nominations, verification of papers is on March 31, and the last date for withdrawal of nominations is April 3. Counting of votes is on May 2.
The BJP and Congress high command in New Delhi are under pressure from aspirants for the party ticket, and are unable to take a final call on their candidates. The release of a sleaze CD allegedly involving former Water Resources Minister Ramesh Jarkiholi has queered the pitch, with the Congress camp desperate to capitalise on the brouhaha, as the poll campaign gains pace in the next few days.
However, the Congress leadership itself is struggling to select a candidate, despite forming a committee headed by former minister M B Patil, and holding several meetings. Topping the list of probables of the grand old party are KPCC Working President Satish Jarkiholi, former ministers Prakash Hukkeri and Anil Lad, and youth leader Chennaraj Hattiholi, while another section of the Congress leadership is looking for someone with the potential to take on the mighty BJP.
According to Satish Jarkiholi, the party high command has already shortlisted three candidates selected by the committee, and it is now the prerogative of the leaders to announce the consensus candidate. Congress sources said that some party workers want the leadership to wait for the BJP to announce its candidate first.
Several Congress leaders have found the BJP a divided outfit in Belagavi, after Jarkiholi’s CD scandal exploded. It has dented the BJP’s image and will reflect in the bypoll, a Congress leader said, hoping his party capitalises on the issue.
On the other side, the BJP leadership has a long list of aspirants, mainly Shraddha Angadi, daughter of late Suresh Angadi, whose death necessitated the Belagavi Lok Sabha bypoll. If sources are to be believed, the BJP top leadership is unwilling to field members of the Angadi family, and is hunting for a loyal party worker with RSS links. Among the list of probables is former MP Ramesh Katti, Ramesh Deshpande, former MLC Mahantesh Kavatagimath, Shankargouda Patil, Dr Girish Sonwalkar, Dr Ravi Patil and several others.The BJP is keen to field a Lingayat candidate with an eye on the dominant community and its large chunk of voters in Belagavi.