BIDAR: The delay in announcing their candidates by the three major political parties for the election to the Upper House from the local bodies even a week after announcement of dates by the Election Commission, has surprised people of the district.
Even though the names of various probable candidates are doing the rounds in political circles, there is still an air of uncertainty over the candidates who would eventually be fielded by the Congress, Bharatiya Janata Party and Janata Dal (Secular).
According to political analysts, the three parties have withheld the announcement of names of candidates as they are studying the situation and are working for a possible tie-up behind the scene. According to Congress sources, Mr Vijay Singh, the eldest son of former Chief Minister Dharam Singh, will make his political debut in this election. Mr Vijay Singh, who is a Bengaluru-based entrepreneur, has made Bidar his home-district for the last few years after his father was elected to the Lok Sabha in 2009.
Even though there are a couple of aspirants for the Congress ticket from the district, Mr Vijay Singh, due to his strong political clout, would in all probability get the ticket. The BJP, which is doing its best to retain the seat it had won in 2010, is likely to field Mr Sanjay Kheny as its candidate. Mr Kheny, who is the cousin of Bidar South MLA and entrepreneur Ashok Kheny, is also the Chairman of the Bidar Sahakar Sakkare Karkhane, a cooperative sugar factory in the district.
The party wanted to field former MLA Prakash Khandre as its candidate. But it dropped the idea as the latter expressed his inability to contest as he wanted to focus on the cooperative sugar factory he is setting up.
The JD(S) which has a strong presence in the district is making strong efforts to field its candidate. Janata Dal (Secular) Leader Bandeppa Kashempur confirmed this. “We will definitely put a candidate in Bidar, there will be no tie-up with Congress. The party has a strong base in the district and we don’t want to fritter it away. The candidate will be finalised on Thursday at a meeting in Bengaluru”, Mr Bandeppa informed.
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