Bidar: While the picture is quite clear as to whom the Congress would field for the by-election to Assembly from Bidar, the picture is hazy as far as the other two parties -BJP and JD (S)-are concerned.
According to indications available, Rahim Khan, who unsuccessfully contested the Assembly polls in 2013, would be the Congress nominee. Besides his defeat by a narrow margin of 2571 votes at the hands of late Gurupadappa Nagmarpalli, who contested as a KJP candidate in 2013, Mr Khan's minority status would ensure that he gets the ticket. Going by its track record, Congress has always fielded a minority candidate from Bidar. This not only helps in serving the interests of a sizeable number of Muslim voters in the constituency, but also gives representation to the community in the district. Mr Rahim Khan had won the seat in 2009 on a Congress ticket.
The Congress, which got a shot in the arm following the victory of N Vijay Singh in the recent polls to the Council, is making a strong bid to wrest the Assembly seat. For BJP, which has suffered a big loss of face in recent elections to the upper House despite having strong presence in the district, the stakes are very high to retain the seat. Another defeat this time would prove a major setback for the party ahead of polls to ZPs and TPs in the district. Though some candidates are in the race for the ticket, BJP leaders are worried about lack of a strong candidate to take on the Congress candidate.
The picture seems hazy as far as JD (S) is concerned. Some leaders are pressurizing former minister Bandeppa Kashempur to enter the fray. But Mr Kashempur has spurned the offer saying he would not to ditch voters of Bidar South.
