ZP-TP elections: It's a problem of plenty for Congress in Dakshina Kannada, Udupi

Mangaluru: Though the ZP-TP elections are just 15 days away, the Congress party is finding it tough to finalize its candidates and is facing a problem of plenty when it comes to aspirants.

As per the new reservation policy, 50 per cent of seats are reserved for women.

The Congress is keen on regaining its lost bastions of Dakshina Kannada and Udupi Zilla Panchayat but is finding it difficult to finalise candidates in both these districts.

“The new reservation policy, which provides 50 per cent seats to women, has become a challenge for political parties. We need to find good, competitive and capable women candidates which is a tough task,” a Congress office bearer told Deccan Chronicle.

“Another problem is the huge number of aspirants in both districts. In some wards, we have more than 12 aspirants! As the Congress is ruling the state, the number of aspirants has swelled” he said.

“Congress has to field candidates with good victory prospects but also has to ensure that the aspirants denied tickets do not turn spoilsport. We will sort out the easier wards with less contenders on Friday. In those where there is a tough fight among the contenders, the decision is likely to be taken on February 6,” another leader said.

Meanwhile the leaders suspect that unhappy Congress aspirants could join other political parties or identify themselves with Jayaprakash Hegde, who had fought the recent MLC election as a Congress rebel.

“This could pose a danger to our party later. So the selection of candidates is being done taking all this into consideration,” he said.

After the inabilty of the Congress to defeat Bharatiya Janata Party in the gram panchayat elections held few months ago, the party is trying its best to put up a better show this time.