With the notification for the byelections to Hangal and Sindgi Assembly constituencies slated for Friday, the race for the party ticket has become intense in the BJP with aspirants making all-out efforts to woo the party high command.
Relatively, there is not much confusion in either the Congress or the Janata Dal (Secular). The Congress is likely to stick with its earlier decision on the candidate for Sindgi and is most likely to field the defeated candidate in Hangal.
The JD(S) has announced its candidate for Hangal and is yet to do so for Sindgi, which it held.
The byelection to the Hangal Legislative Assembly constituency has been necessitated owing to the demise of six-time MLA and former Minister C.M. Udasi of the BJP and that to Sindgi seat has been necessitated owing to the demise of two-time MLA and former Minister M.C. Managuli of the JD(S).
Daughter-in-law in race
C.M. Udasi’s son Shivakumar Udasi is a Member of Parliament and now his wife, Revathi, is aspiring to step into her father-in-law’s shoes. Her candidature is reportedly backed by local Sangh Parivar leaders. The former MLA and MLC Shivaraj Sajjanar, BJP Haveri district unit president Siddaraja Kalakoti, and district general secretary and former ZP member Krishna Iliger are noteworthy names in the race.
MLC Srinivas Mane, who lost the previous election by a few thousand votes and who has continued his work in the constituency, is most likely to be the Congress candidate. The dissenting Manohar Tahasildar, former MLA, is likely to be pacified.
For Hangal, the JD(S) had announced its candidate in June when Niyaz Sheikh, a former Congressman, joined the party.
Early start
The situation in Sindgi is a bit different. Parties had begun preparations for the election in May, thinking that bypoll would be held along with that in Basavakalyan and Maski.
As the late Minister Managuli’s son Ashok Managuli joined the Congress in April and the party immediately declared him as the candidate. However, dissidence is brewing in the Congress since then, with disgruntled former MLA Sharanappa Sunagar and local leaders Mehboob Tamboli and Vithal Rao forming a group to oppose his candidature. Congress leaders such as former Minister M.B. Patil are busy firefighting but have categorically ruled out a change in the candidate. Meanwhile, Mr. Managuli’s another son Shantaver Managuli has stayed away from the Congress.
In May, the BJP had set up a committee led by the then Deputy Chief Minister Laxman Savadi. Now, Mr. Savadi, ex-Minister, is back as party in charge for the bypoll. The BJP is reportedly looking at a candidate who could fight the 2023 election too. Aspirants in the BJP camp are Ramesh Bhusnur, former MLA, and Ashok Allapure, chairman of the Karnataka State Lime Development Board.
Having lost a prospective candidate after Mr. Ashok Managul’s exit, the JD(S) is reportedly considering Ravikant Patil, a two-time MLA, who has now joined the party.
