Bangalore: Parties Gear up for Koppal Bypoll
Bangalore, Sep 1 (DHNS): With the Election Commission of India (ECI) announcing the schedule for the delayed byelection to Koppal Assembly seat, all three major political parties - BJP, Congress and JD(S) - have started making preparations.
All the parties have begun the hunt for a winnable candidate in the bypoll, the results of which are expected to be an indicator to future political developments in the State. The bypoll, scheduled to be held on September 26, is necessitated due to the resignation of Karadi Sanganna as MLA. He quit his Assembly membership and JD(S) to join the ruling BJP in March this year.
Sources said the BJP is likely to field Karadi, while the JD(S) is toying with the idea of selecting former legislator Suryanarayana Reddy as its candidate. Reddy was the political secretary to H D Kumaraswamy, when he was the chief minister. Former minister Basavaraj Itnal is one of the ticket aspirants in the Congress.
BJP State president K S Eshwarappa said the party will announce the name of the candidate on September 3. A meeting of the senior leaders has been convened on September 2 to finalise the candidate. KPCC president G Parameshwara said the State Congress will recommend a list of candidates to the party high command, which will take the final decision, he said.
JD(S) spokesperson Y S V Datta said a four-member team led by Basanagouda Patil Yatnal has been formed to hold consultations with local party workers in Koppal and shortlist candidates. The party senior leaders will announce the candidate on September 5. September 9 is the last date for filing nominations.
The ECI delayed holding the byelection due to miscommunication with the Karnataka High Court. As per the Representation of People's Act, the bypoll should have been conducted before September 2. But the ECI delayed the announcement as the High Court failed to inform it that a petition challenging the election of Karadi was dismissed in 2009.