Vijayapura poised for interesting poll battle

The Assembly elections are throwing up some interesting surprises in the district with people sharing same surnames, brothers, and even a husband and wife contesting against each other.

When Vithal Katakadonda, the Congress candidate, decided to file his nomination papers, he perhaps was unaware that he would be contesting against a Katakadonda couple from Nagathan SC Reserve constituency.

Interestingly, the couple Deepak and Kavita Katakadonda are not only taking on Mr. Vithal, but are also pitted against each other. Mr. Deepak is contesting from Hindutan Janata Party, while his wife from Bharatiya Rashtriya Mahila Sarvodaya Congress.

Meanwhile, in Basavanabagewadi, MLA and Congress leader Shivananda Patil has left voters confused.

During the filing of nomination papers, Mr. Patil asked his wife Bhagyashree to file her papers too. However, when the time of withdrawing the nomination papers ended, Mr. Bhagyashree issued a press statement and said that though she wanted to withdraw her papers, she could not reach the office within time. Ms. Bhagyashree has now declared that she would be campaigning for her husband and has requested the voters not to vote for her.

In Muddebihal, where another MLA and Congress veteran C.S. Nadagouda is contesting, his younger brother Gangadhar Nadagouda has filed his papers as Independent candidate. Mr. Gangadhar said he was not contesting against his brother but only trying his luck in politics. Besides relatives, over a dozen people with ‘Patil’ surname are in the fray this time.