A seven-member committee constituted by the BJP high command is scheduled to hold a meeting in Belagavi this week, to take stock of preparations for the Belagavi Lok Sabha bypoll.
A week ago, the BJP high command constituted the seven-member committee to oversee the preparations for the bypoll. The committee comprises Union Minister Prahlad Joshi, Industries Minister Jagadish Shettar and five Ministers from Belagavi district Lakshman Savadi, Ramesh Jarkiholi, Umesh Katti, Shashikala Jolle and Srimant Patil.
Mr. Joshi has already held two meetings — one in Belagavi and the other in Hubballi — to collect opinion from party workers and various morcha leaders.
“They have all been given a one-line direction — work for the victory of the party candidate whoever it may be,” a senior party office-bearer said. He pointed out that the committee is expected to steer the campaign, rather than select a candidate. This follows indications that some of them have sought ticket for themselves or their relatives or followers.
In the first round, the party’s district election committee collected bio-data of 73 candidates.
The party’s State election committee sought and obtained additional details for about half of them. The front-runners among the probables are Mahantesh Kavatagimath, MLC, Vishwanth Patil, former MLA, Ujwala Bhadavanache, former party district unit president, and medical professionals Girish Sonwalkar, Ravi Patil and Sonali Sarnobat, say party sources.
Apart from these, three former Parliament members, Prabhakar Kore, Amarsinh Patil and Ramesh Katti, have shown interest. The former MLAs Sanjay Patil and Jagadish Metgud are also among the aspirants.
