Karnataka bypolls: BJP announces candidates, fields Suresh Angadi's wife from Belgaum
Bengaluru, Mar 25: The ruling BJP on Thursday announced its candidates for the April 17 by-elections in Karnataka, fielding Mangala Suresh Angadi, wife of late Union Minister Suresh Angadi, from Belgaum Lok Sabha seat.
Pratapagouda Patil, who quit the Congress and joined the party would be its candidate in Maski assembly segment; while youth leader Sharanu Salagar has been fielded in Basavakalyan, a BJP press release said.
By-polls to Belgaum Lok Sabha and Basavakalyan Assembly seats are necessitated following the death of Suresh Angadi of the BJP and Congress MLA B Narayan Rao, respectively due to COVID-19 in September last year.
While, Maski assembly seat fell vacant following the disqualification of Pratapagouda Patil for his role along with others that led to the collapse of the previous Congress-JD(S) coalition government.
The bypolls will be held on April 17 and the counting of votes will take place on May 2.
Among other factors, Congress seems to be eyeing sympathy wave in favour of Mangala in Belgaum, where Congress and JD(S) are yet to finalise their candidates. There have been talks from the beginning within the BJP circles to give ticket to Suresh Angadi's family member from Belgaum, and names of his daughter Shradha, along with Industries Minister Jagadish Shettar, MLC Mahantesh Kavatagimath were doing rounds.
While, Congress has fielded Basanagouda Turvihal, who was the BJP's candidate in 2018 and had lost by a margin of just 213 votes against Prathapagouda Patil, then with the Congress, from Maski; Mallamma, the wife of late legislator B Narayan Rao, is its candidate in Basavakalyan.
JD(S) has named Syed Yasrab Ali Quadri, who was with the Congress earlier as its candidate from Basavakalyan, and is yet to announce a candidate for Maski seat.
The gazette notification for the bypolls was issued on March 23. The last date for filing of nominations will be on March 30, and its scrutiny will take place on the very next day. April 3 is the last date for withdrawal of candidatures.
While BJP, that has won most of the bypolls after coming to power in aiming to continue its winning streak. Congress that has been targeting the ruling party for its alleged failures in providing good administration, corruption and impropriety following the sex scandal is hoping to make a mark by winning seats. It at least aims to retain Basavakalyan and Maski, which it had won in the 2018 assembly elections. JD(S)'' Kumaraswamy is also hoping big, especially in Basavakalyan, which he has said is the party''s "strong hold".
ಬೆಳಗಾವಿ ಲೋಕಸಭಾ ಉಪಚುನಾವಣೆಗೆ ಬಿಜೆಪಿ ಅಭ್ಯರ್ಥಿಯಾಗಿ ಶ್ರೀಮತಿ ಮಂಗಳಾ ಸುರೇಶ್ ಅಂಗಡಿ. pic.twitter.com/c3UmULONm8
— BJP Karnataka (@BJP4Karnataka) March 25, 2021
ಬಸವಕಲ್ಯಾಣ ವಿಧಾನಸಭಾ ಉಪಚುನಾವಣೆಗೆ ಬಿಜೆಪಿ ಅಭ್ಯರ್ಥಿಯಾಗಿ ಶ್ರೀ ಶರಣು ಸಲಗಾರ್. pic.twitter.com/n8RQKADqpz
— BJP Karnataka (@BJP4Karnataka) March 25, 2021
ಮಸ್ಕಿ ವಿಧಾನಸಭಾ ಉಪಚುನಾವಣೆಗೆ ಬಿಜೆಪಿ ಅಭ್ಯರ್ಥಿಯಾಗಿ ಶ್ರೀ ಪ್ರತಾಪ್ ಗೌಡ ಪಾಟೀಲ್. pic.twitter.com/TNnbcN6d1W
— BJP Karnataka (@BJP4Karnataka) March 25, 2021
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Strict security measures in place in Mumbai for Messi's events at 2 venues Dec 14, say police
Mumbai (PTI): In view of Argentine superstar footballer Lionel Messi's visit to Mumbai on Sunday, the city police are implementing stringent security measures, like not allowing water bottles, metals, coins inside the stadiums and setting up watchtowers to keep an eye on the crowd, officials said.
The police also said taking extra care to avoid any stampede-like situation and to prevent recurrence of the chaotic situation that unfolded in Kolkata during Messi's visit on Saturday as thousands of fans protested inside the Salt Lake stadium here after failing to catch a clear glimpse of the football icon despite paying hefty sums for tickets.
Messi is expected to be present at the Cricket Club of India (Brabourne Stadium) in Mumbai on Sunday for a Padel GOAT Cup event followed by attending a celebrity football match. He is expected to proceed to the Wankhede Stadium for the GOAT India Tour main event around 5 pm.
"In view of Lionel Messi's visit to Mumbai, the police are geared up and have put in place a high level of security arrangements in and around the stadiums located in south Mumbai. Considering the chaos that prevailed in Kolkata and the security breach, we have deployed World Cup-level security arrangements at Brabourne and Wankhede stadiums," an official said.
Expecting heavy crowd near the stadiums during Messi's visit, the city police force has deployed more than 2,000 of its personnel near and around both the venues, he said.
As the Mumbai police have the experience of security 'bandobast' during the victory parade of ICC World Cup-winning Indian team and World Cup final match at the Wankhede Stadium, in which over one lakh cricket fans had gathered, we are prepared to handle a large crowd of fans, he said.
"We are trying to avoid the errors that occurred in the past," the official said.
There is no place to sneak inside the stadiums in Mumbai like the Kolkata stadium, according to him.
The police are also asking the organisers to provide all the required facilities to the fans inside the stadium, so that there will be no chaos, he said, adding the spectators have purchased tickets in the range of Rs 5,000 to 25,000. After paying so much of amount, any spectator expects proper services, while enjoying the event, he said.
The police are expecting 33,000 spectators at the Wankhede Stadium and over 4,000 at Brabourne Stadium. Besides this, more than 30,000 people are expected outside and around the stadiums just to have a glimpse of the football sensation, he said.
The organisers responsible for Messi's India visit recently came to Mumbai to discuss security arrangements. During the meeting, the Mumbai police asked them not to take the event lightly, according to the official.
After those requirements were fulfilled, the final security deployment was chalked out, he said.
Police has the standard procedure of the security arrangements inside the Wankhede Stadium, where people are barred from taking water bottles, metals objects, coins. Police are setting up watch towers near the stadiums and there will be traffic diversions, so that there is maximum space available to stand, according to the official.
Police are also appealing to the spectators to use public transport service for commuting and avoid personal vehicles to reach south Mumbai.
To avoid any stampede-like situation, police are also taking precautionary measures and will stop the fans some distance ahead of the stadium and public announcement systems will be used to guide the crowd. Barricades will be placed at various places to manage the crowd.
In case the crowd swells up beyond expectation, the police will divert people to other grounds and preparations in this regard underway, he said.
Additional police force has been deployed in south Mumbai to tackle any kind of situation, he said.
