Congress aspires to wrest DK Local Authorities seat held by BJP earlier

The party will field a candidate from Udupi district for the ensuing poll to the Legislative Council, says Manjunath Bhandary

Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee working president Manjunath Bhandary on Thursday, September 26, said the party will make every effort to win one of the twin seats from Dakshina Kannada or Udupi Local Authorities constituency byelection for which is scheduled on October 21.

“We are aware that the Bharatiya Janata Party has more voters from the local authorities in the undivided Dakshina Kannada district,” Mr. Bhandary, who is one MLC representing the twin seats. The other seat was vacated after the resignation of Kota Srinivas Poojary, BJP leader, who was elected as the MP of Udupi-Chikkamagaluru constituency.

Although the Congress has fewer voters, the party would not lose hopes of victory and do everything possible to snatch the seat from the BJP, Mr. Bhandary said. The party has already chalked out plans under the leadership of State Congress president D.K. Shivakumar. He has asked local leaders to choose a strong candidate after discussions at the grassroots level. Another Congress working president G.C. Chandrashekhar will visit the district this week and hold discussions with leaders.

From Udupi district

Mr. Bhandary said the party was likely to field a candidate from Udupi district for the byelection as he is from Dakshina Kannada district. Mr. Poojary too was from Udupi district. Former Udupi Zilla Panchayat presidents Raju Poojary and Bhujanga Shetty and leader T.R. Raju from Karkala were keen on the contest. Along with their names, three more names were submitted to the party leadership and the final decision would be taken by the High Command, Mr. Bhandary said.

The MLC said Congress would take the byelection seriously as it becomes a precursor to the elections to taluk and Zilla panchayats. In the 2002 elections to the twin seats of the Legislative Council from Dakshina Kannada, K. Prathapchandra Shetty and Blasius D’Souza from the Congress won. Mr. Srinivas Poojary won the byelections following the death of Mr. D’Souza. In the 2021 elections, he (Mr. Bhandary) and Mr. Poojary were elected. Chances of the Congress candidate regaining the lost seat could not be ruled out in the by-elections, Mr. Bhandary said.

District Congress president K. Harish Kumar, leaders Padmaraj R. Poojary and others were present.

Published - September 26, 2024 08:53 pm IST