Daijiworld Media Network - Bangalore (SP)
Bangalore, Dec 6: For the by-poll scheduled for later this month, several nominations were filed on Thursday December 4.
In Karwar constituency, three nominations were filed including that of fisheries minister Anand Asnotikar, the BJP candidate. Hucche Gowda has submitted nomination papers from Turuvekere constituency, but he is yet to submit 'B' form issued by the party. In Madhugiri, N Vijaykumar has filed two nominations, one as a Congress candidate and the other, as an independent.
No nominations were filed in Arabhavi, Hukkeri, Devadurg, Maddur and Doddaballapur constituencies on Thursday. In the meantime, the JD (S) plans of fielding KAS officer Veerabhadraiah as its candidate from Madhugiri constituency have run into rough weather, as the government is yet to accept the voluntary retirement application of the officer. The high court has already directed the state government to decide on the said application by the sixth of this month. As the government has the liberty to reject the application at its discretion, the JD (S) is likely to field Anita Kumaraswami, wife of ex-chief minister and state JD (S) president H D Kumaraswami from this constituency in case the government takes an adverse decision.
Kumaraswami said that the state government is playing politics by not accepting the voluntary retirement application of Veerabhadraiah. "Madhugiri was represented by a candidate from our party. Hence we do not wish to let go of this constituency. There is pressure from local leaders and well wishers to field my wife as the party candidate from the constituency for warding of strong challenges from other parties," Kumaraswami explained.
Refuting the allegations that his family is trying to tighten its grip on the JD (S), Kumaraswami said that he does not care for such criticisms. The survival of the party and interests of the party workers is of paramount importance. "We may have to bend to the pressure from local leaders to field Anita, as it appears to be the best alternative as of now," he clarified.