Mangaluru: Raising a banner of revolt, former Udupi-Chikkamagalur MP and Congress leader Jayaprakash Hegde announced on Saturday that he would enter the fray for forthcoming elections to the Legislative Council as an independent.
Mr Hegde, an aspirant for Congress ticket, announced his decision soon after he heard that the party would field MLC Pratapchandra Shetty. “I have decided to submit my nomination papers on Monday (December 7) and will go ahead with my decision. There is no looking back,” Mr Hegde told Deccan Chronicle, adding “There are many aspirants in Udupi and Dakshina Kannada who never got any post and I stand by them. However, if the party decides to field any other aspirant, other than Mr Pratapchandra Shetty, I will not file my nomination papers and instead support that candidate.”
He said, “Mr Shetty never expressed his desire to continue in the post. Last month, he wrote to all elected representatives of local authorities thanking them for their co-operation and even declared that he was not interested in contesting the election. When he has not expressed interest in contesting the election his selection as the candidate is a puzzle.”
Meanwhile, leaders of the local unit of the party blame Udupi district incharge minister Vinay Kumar Sorake for the development. “Mr Sorake is not in good terms with Mr Jayaprakash Hegde. Therefore, he backed Mr Pratapchandra Shetty,” said a senior leader..
According to party sources, a good number of voters who are unhappy with Congress and Mr Pratapchandra Shetty are likely to support Mr Jayaprakash Hegde.
Also the second preference votes of some BJP voters could go in favour of Mr Hegde, thus posing a serious challenge to the Congress candidate.
