Even as the two major national parties, the BJP and the Congress, are still busy finalising party ticket for the election to the Hubballi Dharwad Municipal Corporation, nine candidates, including four from Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), filed their nomination papers on Thursday.
The process of filing nomination papers began on Monday, the day the election notification was issued by Deputy Commissioner of Dharwad and Election Officer Nitesh Patil. On the first two days none filed nomination papers and the first nomination paper was filed by an independent candidate on Wednesday.
On Thursday, apart from the four official candidates of AAP, five others filed their nomination papers. Among them, two are from the BJP, one each from the Congress and the Janata Dal (Secular) and one, an Independent candidate. Both the BJP and the Congress are yet to issue B forms.
These nomination papers have been filed for elections to ward numbers 3, 4, 7, 8, 46, 52 and 54.
The first set of nomination papers for the elections was filed by Bibi Ayesha Yaragatti, wife of the former councillor Maqtumsab Yaragatti, in ward number 75 on Wednesday. Mr. Maqtumsab, who won as an Independent candidate in the last municipal council poll, has fielded his wife this time because of change in reservation. Due to delimitation, Hubballi Dharwad Municipal Corporation Council has a total of 82 wards now. Earlier, it was 67. For the last two terms, the BJP has been in power and is hoping to return to power for the third time.
Meanwhile, the AAP has released its second list of candidates. While the first list had 10 candidates, the second list announced on Wednesday had 10 more. AAP State office-bearer Shantala Damle and district unit president Santosh Naragund have said that BJP leaders, including Union Minister Pralhad Joshi, were making baseless statements against the AAP as they were afraid of its growth in the twin cities.
Competition
While Congress observers and office-bearers began the process for selection of candidates on Thursday with leaders Dhruvnarayan, Satish Jarkiholi and others beginning consultations with local office-bearers, Bharatiya Janata Party, which began the process on Monday, is yet to complete the process. Insiders said that as there was more number of candidates seeking party ticket for each ward, the selection process has been delayed. The BJP had 34 members, while the Congress had 22 members in the last council.
Meanwhile, Janata Dal(Secular), which had nine members in the last council, is also in the process of finalising candidates. New district president of the JD(S) Gururaj Hunasimarad has begun the process with a new set of office-bearers recently appointed.
The other parties, including Prajakiya, AIMIM and RPI, are scouting for candidates.
