One seat, many Cong aspirants

Though the MLC election to the local bodies’  constituency is less than a  month away, the Congress  is still in a fix on selecting  the candidate for Vijayapura-Bagalkot constituency.

The party is having a tough time as  both sitting MLCs of  the constituency are  from the Congress.  The party is seriously contemplating  fielding only one candidate this time.

The two MLCs, S.  R. Patil of Bagalkot  and Sunilgouda Patil  of Vijayapura are strong  contenders for the ticket  while KPCC spokesperson,  S. M. Patil Ganihar of Vijayapura is also making  efforts to clinch the ticket. The situation has become tricky for the Congress because many leaders of the party are  of the view that  it should field  only one candidate to ensure a victory.  The winner is  decided based  on preferential votes  and  the  par ty  fears  that it will lose both seats  if both candidates fail to  secure adequate preferential votes.

Mr S.R. Patil, the present leader of opposition in  the Council had declared  in the previous election  that it would be his last  and he will not contest for  the MLC seat henceforth.

Despite this, it is learnt  that Patil is keen on contesting the polls. Another  aspirant is Sunilgouda  Patil, younger brother of  MLA and former Minister,  M.B. Patil. He had won the  by-election which was held  after BJP MLA Basanagouda Patil Yatnal who  was then MLC, resigned to  contest the assembly polls.  Sunilgouda contested the  election and won.

Leaders such as Shivanand Patil and M.B. Patil  told mediapersons that  the party high command  will take a final decision  shortly.