As the Election Commission’s notification on polls to the Legislative Council from 25 Local Authorities constituencies comes into effect on November 16, parties are still in the process of candidate selection and drawing up election strategies.
While November 23 is the last date for filing nomination, the elections will be held on December 10 and results announced on December 14. As many as 25 members — 14 of the Congress, six of the BJP, four of the Janata Dal (Secular), and an Independent member — are completing their tenure on January 5, 2022. Currently, in the Upper House, the BJP is the largest party with 32 members followed by the Congress with 29 an d JD(S) with 12.
Congress sources said the party leaders were expected to complete their consultations with district-level leaders in a day or two and finalise the candidates before sending the list to the AICC. “Sources said the party was yet to decide whether it has to field two candidates in dual constituencies or focus on results by fielding one candidate. “Being in the Opposition, it is tough to fight though the Congress did well in the gram panchayat polls. Some incumbent members are not inclined to contest because they are not confident.”
In Vijayapura, Dharwad, Belagavi, Dakshina Kannada, and Mysuru districts, two seats each are going for polls. Normally, since the elections are held on a preferential voting system, parties avoid setting up competition between their own candidates by fielding only one candidate instead of a possible two.
Sources in the Janata Dal (Secular) said the party was unlikely to announce candidates in many constituencies in north Karnataka region, where it is unlikely to secure a seat. “The party is trying to focus on areas in south Karnataka where it has done well in the gram panchayat elections,” sources said, adding that it may take a couple of days for finalising the candidates. Three of the four members of the party who are retiring are from south Karnataka region, and have already announced their intent to leave the party.
The ruling BJP, which is eyeing to secure a majority in the 75-member House for the first time, has already discussed the strategies in a meeting of its State Core Committee. It may take more than a couple of days to finalise the candidates, party sources said.
JD(S) likely to field a Deve Gowda family member in Hassan
The Janata Dal (Secular) is likely to field a family member of its national president H.D. Deve Gowda from Hassan Local Authorities seat. Sources in the party said though Sooraj Revanna, son of the former Minister H.D. Revanna, was being tipped to be the party candidate, it is most likely that the former Minister’s wife, Bhavani, would get the nod.
The former Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy had recently said Mr. Gowda would decide the candidature for Hassan.
Incidentally, incumbent Congress member representing Hassan seat M.A. Gopalaswamy is learnt to have developed cold feet from contesting. Congress sources said the gram panchayat results in December 2020 changed the voting equation, and the Congress leader was not confident of winning.
