Karnataka Legislative Council polls: Congress 11, BJP 12?

Bengaluru: With 25 seats up for grabs in the Legislative Council polls from local authorities constituencies, scheduled for Sunday, it is no easy going for the ruling Congress party, which had won 13 seats the last time the polls were held.

Amidst talk of a secret pact between the BJP and JD(S), the Congress is grappling with powerful party rebels in some constituencies, not to talk of the non-co-operation of local leaders. Sources in the Congress said they are not sure of retaining the 13 seats and may settle for 9-11 while the BJP is looking to up its number from 7 to an ambitious 12. Unless Chief Minister Siddaramaiah wrecks their plans by arriving at a tacit understanding with his former mentor and JD(S) supremo, Deve Gowda-who has never been comfortable working with BJP-and pulls the rug from under the saffron party.

The controversy pertaining to Tipu Jayanti celebration which left 2 dead, farmer suicides, the sugarcane price crisis and a perceived failure to tackle the drought which has gripped north Karnataka, could weigh on the minds of panchayat members who form the bulk of the electorate, when they line up to exercise their franchise. The fact that there is no whip issued to panchayat members to vote for their party, has made tis election a free for all battle with cash and gifts being distributed by all parties.

Congress leaders are sweating it out to make sure rebels Jayaprakash Hegde and Harikrishna Bantwal do not spoil the prospects of the official candidate, Pratapchandra Shetty in Dakshina Kannada constituency. Not too different is the scene in Bengaluru Urban, where rebel, Dayananda Reddy is breathing down the neck of Congress candidate Narayanaswamy.

The Congress will win comfortably in double seat constituencies where it has fielded single candidates, like Dakshina Kannada, Mysuru, Belagavi, Dharwad and Viayapura and may win 5 seats here with the Bharatiya Janata Party-Janata Dal (Secular) likely to win an equal number.

A tough battle is on the cards in Bidar, Ballari,Shivamogga, Chikkamagaluru, Chitradurga, Kodagu, Tumakuru, Bengaluru Rural, Bengaluru Urban and Mandya.

Due to a change of candidate in Kodagu, Congress party MLC T. Jhon has not actively participated in the campaign this time. No different is the situation in Chikkamagaluru where sitting MLC Gayathri Shanthegowda is facing anti-incumbency.

In Chitradurga, Congress candidate Raghu Achar is facing stiff opposition from Congress voters themselves who had opposed giving the ticket to him.

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