Kundgol: 3-rebel headache for Congress

Hubballi: Though the Congress party is riding high on the sympathy wave in Kundgol following the passing away of former minister C.S. Shivalli, the rebel factor has become a major cause of concern for party leaders. Shivalli’s widow Kusuma is the Congress candidate.

Former chief minister and senior Congress leader Siddaramaiah is facing a tough challenge in persuading three rebel candidates, Shivanand Benthur, Zilla Panchayat member Suresh Savanur and H L Nadaf who belong to the Kuruba, Lingayat and Muslim communities respectively to withdraw from the fray.

These candidates have filed their nominations despite KPCC president Dinesh Gundurao and other leaders trying their best to convince them to pull out on Monday. The party is therefore facing the threat of losing a chunk of voters of these communities which could play a deciding factor in the election.

A total of 23 candidates have filed their nomination papers for the Kundgol byelection and many of them are rebel candidates of the Congress. JD(S) leader leader Hazarath Ali Jodamani, who had secured more than six thousand votes by contesting on a JD(U) ticket, has also filed his nomination and this may lead to a division of the votes of the Muslims, a traditional vote bank of the Congress.  Congress rebel candidate Benthur claimed that around six leaders of the party have filed their nominations and they will convene a meeting on May 2. He also said that all of them will take a unanimous decision on that day on whether to withdraw from the fray or field  one candidate among them.

“There is no question of withdrawing even if party leaders try to convince us. Minister D.K. Shivakumar should confine his political activities to Mysuru region and should not interfere in our region. It is a one-sided decision of Congress leaders to field Kusuma Shivalli in Kundagol. They have not considered me despite members of 15 Gram Panchayats, 12 communities and office-bearers of the party extending their support", Shivanand Benthur said.

The Congress has prepared strategy to deploy one minister in every Zilla Panchayat in Kundagol. Party leaders have resolved to deploy 20 members including MLAs and former legislators in each ZP. Siddaramaiah has also assured the local leaders that he will camp in Kundgol for three days until the last day of public campaigning.

Meanwhile, the BJP has managed to resolve the rebel factor by convincing another strong ticket aspirant M.R. Patil. The party leaders have assured him a ticket in the next Assembly elections. Addressing press persons, Patil said that he will work for the party to send a representative from Kundgol to help make B.S. Yeddyurappa Chief Minister again.