With the Congress finalising its candidates for the zilla panchayat elections, the differences within the party came to the fore on Saturday. A section of party workers staged a dharna in front of Belur MLA Y.N. Rudresh Gowda’s residence at Cheekanahalli, while in Sakaleshpur a few leaders resolved to resign as office-bearers for not fielding a Lingayat in the taluk.
B.N. Chandrakala, a member of the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC), who also worked as District Congress president for a while, was chosen as the party’s candidate in Arehalli constituency. This upset the supporters of Mamata Tulasidas, who was also a contender for the ticket.
Her supporters staged a protest in front of Mr. Gowda’s residence and put pressure on him to change the decision. The protesters also locked up the front gate.
The MLA, in an attempt to convince the protestors to call off their dharna, called Ms. Chandrakala to his residence. It is said that Ms. Chandrakala refused to give up the fight for a chance to contest. She also submitted her nomination papers.
Ms. Chandrakala later told reporters that she wanted to file her nomination in the presence of the MLA.”
But he could not accompany me as the protesters had locked up his residence,” she said.
Unit wanted Lingayat candidate
In Sakleshpur, some Congress leaders are upset as a Lingayat was not given the party ticket. The Congress’ taluk unit president Vidyashankar and others held a meeting on Saturday, and later told reporters that the unit was “disappointed with the party’s decision”.
Given the considerable number of Lingayat voters in Sakleshpur Assembly constituency, the leaders had appealed to senior leaders to field at least one candidate from the Lingayat community in one of the two seats in the taluk — one unreserved and the other reserved for women (general). However, the party did not do so.
The MLA called Ms. Chandrakala to his residence in an attempt to assuage the protesters
