DEODURGA: Even as the campaign is gaining momentum for the by-elections to Deodurga and Bidar North constituency, the announcement of elections to the zilla and taluk panchayats has come as a big headache for leaders of the two major political parties-Congress and BJP.
According to the notification issued on Tuesday, February 8 is the last for filing of nominations for ZPs and TPs in all the six districts of Hyderabad Karnataka region. While voting is scheduled to be held on February 20, the counting would take place on February 23, as per the notification.
While the leaders of these parties are gearing up to fight the by-elections, they are flooded with pleas for ticket from prospective candidates. The Congress had done fairly well in the recent elections to the Upper House from the local bodies constituencies, so there is a huge demand for party tickets.
As Janata Dal (Secular) has lost base in most parts of north Karnataka, including Hyderabad Karnataka, only those candidates who have little chance of getting ticket either from Congress or BJP are learnt to be aspiring for its ticket.
But it is not the demand for ticket that is worrying leaders, it is the fear of inviting the displeasure of candidates who have failed to get ticket that is bothering them the most.
“For all ZP and TP seats, the number of aspirants range from two to ten, in some cases 12. As only one candidate can get the ticket, the rest will get alienated.
“In some extreme cases, candidates who are denied tickets, may even work against the official candidate. As the possibility of candidates failing to get tickets is more in the Congress, the chances of rebels harming our party candidates are more,” a senior leader of KPCC informed.
Notification for ZP-TP polls may hit bypoll counting
The issuance of notification for zilla and taluk panchayat elections has raised doubts about the possibility of taking up counting of votes for by-elections to Deodurga and Bidar Assembly constituencies scheduled for February 16.
“As the by-election results will have an impact on the outcome of zilla and taluk panchayat elections to be held in these constituencies , the counting of votes should not be taken up on February 16 as scheduled. They have to be postponed till the voting takes place for the ZP and TP seats as scheduled on February 20”, a Congress leader said. According to sources, the state government is seriously contemplating making a representation to the Election Commission in this regard.
