BELAGAVI: As the countdown for elections to the Legislative Council commenced, the ruling Congress found itself in a dilemma as senior leader V S Sadhunavar submitted his nomination papers hours before the party announced its list of candidates on Saturday.
The leaders are divided over selection of candidates and found it tough to pick between sitting MLC Veerkumar Patil and seniors like V S Sadhunavar and Vivekrao Patil.
Most of noted leaders including minister Satish Jarkiholi and party legislators from the region are in support of Veerkumar Patil, but a large section of youth leaders are against him.
Once it became clear that Mr Veerkumar Patil would be fielded again, Mr Sadhunavar wasted no time in filing nomination papers even before party announced its candidate officially.
Mr Sadhunavar could prove to be strong rebel in the fray and could jeopardize the prospects of the party candidate.
Sources in the party said Mr Sadhunavar turned a rebel because he was denied a ticket in last Lok Sabha polls from Belagavi constituency.
He lobbied to get the ticket but could not stop Laxmi Hebbalkar from contesting as the party's candidate. Recently, a section of Congress leaders aired their opposition against Mr Veerkumar Patil's candidature.
They demanded the party to field two youths from Belagavi instead of giving another chance to Mr Veerkumar Patil. A youth leader, Babulal Bagwan says, the party should stop fielding old candidates and thus neglect all others.
He said, most of party workers wanted the leaders promote youth and those who toiled for the party for decades without any expectations.
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