BJP and Congress in tight fight in Dakshina Kannada district as election fever rises
Mangaluru: In Dakshina Kannada, a district long dominated by the BJP, the upcoming election is shaping up to be a close contest with the Congress fielding former Union Minister and Senior Congress leader B Janardhan's Pujari disciple Padmaraj against the BJP's candidate, former army officer Captain Brijesh Chowta.
The BJP has made a significant change by denying a ticket to sitting MP Nalin Kumar Kateel and instead fielding Chowta. Both Chowta and Padmaraj hold important positions in their respective parties at the state level, adding to the intensity of the competition.
The Bahujan Samaj Party has announced Kantappa Alangar as its official candidate, adding another dimension to the race in addition to the strong forces of the BJP and Congress.
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Candidates from both parties have begun their election preparations by seeking blessings from religious leaders, but the true nature of the competition will only be revealed after nomination papers are submitted.
Unlike the previous election where both BJP and Congress candidates belonged to the Bunt community, this time the Congress has fielded a candidate from the Billava community, a move seen as an attempt to appeal to a decisive voter base for the BJP. The effectiveness of this strategy will be evident in the election results.
Both BJP and Congress candidates are not grassroots workers of their parties but have used their influence to secure tickets, leading to discontent among some senior leaders. Despite being denied a ticket, Nalin Kumar Kateel has expressed satisfaction with the party's decision, highlighting his achievements as a Member of Parliament.
For B. Janardana Pujari, a veteran Congress leader, this election holds significance as he has been striving to re-enter Parliament after several unsuccessful attempts. The Congress high command has strategically given responsibilities to seniors to avoid upsetting those who were aspiring for tickets.
As election fever slowly rises amidst challenges such as the scorching summer heat and drinking water problems, the battle for Dakshina Kannada district is expected to be closely watched.
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Five to six opposition MLAs might cross over to Mahayuti in few months: NCP chief whip Anil Patil
Mumbai, Nov 24: There is unrest in the Maha Vikas Aghadi camp and its five to six MLAs might join the ruling Mahayuti in the next few months, claimed NCP chief whip Anil Patil, who has retained his Amalner assembly seat, on Sunday.
The MVA of Congress, NCP (SP) and Shiv Sena (UBT) suffered a crushing blow in the Maharashtra assembly polls, winning only 46 of the state's 288 seats. By contrast, the BJP-led ruling coalition, which also has NCP and Shiv Sena as partners, bagged an impressive 230 seats.
“There is tremendous unrest among some NCP (SP), Congress and Sena (UBT) MLAs who have been re-elected. Those having good relations with us have expressed concerns over MVA’s massive defeat,” Patil told Marathi news channel ABP Majha.
If one wants development works in his constituency, it is good to be in power, said the legislator from Ajit Pawar’s party.
“The MVA MLAs feel their future is uncertain. It shouldn’t be a surprise if five to six MLAs cross over to the Mahayuti in the next four months,” he said.
In the results of the Maharashtra polls declared on Saturday, BJP won in 132 constituencies, while its partners Shiv Sena and NCP walked away with 57 and 41 seats, respectively.
From the MVA camp, Shiv Sena (UBT) bagged 20 seats followed by Congress’ 16 and 10 by NCP (SP).
