All for polls, Seven BJP MLCs now Kalaburagi ‘residents’
KALABURAGI: The political manouvering for bagging the Kalaburagi Mahanagara Palike mayor’s post has begun with seven BJP MLCs, who have no connection with Kalaburagi reporedly applying for ordinary citizen status in Kalaburagi city. This will give them the right to vote in the mayorall polls slated to be held on November 20.
According to sources, MLCs Laxman Savadi, Sayabanna Talawar, Bharati Shetty, Lehar Singh, Pratap Singh, Raghunath Malkapure and Muniraju have, on November 3, applied to the Kalaburagi Mahanagara Palike for ordinary citizen status and to the voter enrolment officer of Kalaburagi.
While Laxman Savadi has reportedly claimed that he is residing in a part of one Srinivas Desai’s house in Biddapur Colony, Saibanna Talawar has shown his house owner to be Raju Devadurga of Biddapur Colony. Bharati Shetty has claimed that she is a tenant in the house of Shantgowda of Biddapur Colony while Lehar Singh has stated that he is living in a rented house belonging to Mahesh Reddy in Aiwan-e-Shahi locality. Pratap Singh too has stated that he is residing in a house in Aiwan-E-Shahi while Raghunath Malkapure and Muniraju have claimed that they were residing in a rented house belonging to advocate Vidyarani Bhat.
Some officials told The New Sunday Express on the condition of anonymity that pressure is being mounted on them by some senior political leaders to accord ordinary citizen status to these MLCs, but claimed to have told the leaders that they would abide by the existing rules and regulations. Elections to the Kalaburagi Mahanagara Palike were held on September 3 and the results announced on September 6. Of the 55 seats, Congress won in 27, BJP captured 23 seats and later, an independent joined the BJP, taking the strength to 24. The JDS secured four seats.
On October 12, the Palike announced the list of eligible voters for the mayoral polls. This included six BJP MLAs, MLCs and MP, two Congress leaders (Rajya Sabha member Mallikarjun Kharge and MLA Kaneez Fatima) and 4 Janata Dal members. A party will require 32 votes to clinch the mayoral poll. It is said that the BJP was not sure of getting the two additional votes in its favour and hence, planned to include seven MLCs in the voters’ list Former minister Dr Sharanaprakash Patil questioned what Lehar Singh, Bharati Shetty, Muniraju and the others had to do with Kalaburagi.
“Let them declare how many times they have visited Kalaburagi,” he said. The CM as well as district in-charge minister Murugesh Nirani were bringing pressure on the officials, he alleged. “The Assistant Commissioner should personally visit the addresses mentioned in the applications and verify since how many months they were living there,” Dr Patil demanded.
Draft electoral rolls for Council elections
bengaluru: The Election Registration Officers of 20 Local Authorities Constituencies have published the draft electoral rolls for the December 10 polls to elect 25 Legislative Council members. As per the draft electoral rolls, there are 98,846 voters in 20 constituencies. Of them, 47,368 are men, 51,474 women and three other voters, stated a release from the office of the Chief Electoral Officer, Karnataka. The electoral rolls are available in the office of the District Election Officers and on their website and also in all the Panchayat Raj institutions and urban local bodies. The claims and objections may be filed to the concerned Election Registration Officer within seven days, the statement read.