BENGALURU: The Congress, that is making all out efforts to retain Chincholi and Kundagol assembly segments, is battling rebellion from within, while challenger BJP seem to be facing the onerous task of taking its leaders into confidence to increase the party’s tally in the assembly.

In Kundagol, five candidates, including Chandrashekhar Juttal, son of former MLA Govindappa Juttal, have filed their nominations, claiming to be Congress candidates. They may not be strong candidates, but the party is concerned as they can split the party vote in some pockets in a constituency it won by a wafer-thin margin of about 600 votes. Not taking any chances, district and state leaders are trying to persuade these disgruntled Congress members to withdraw from the contest and work for the common party candidate.

The party is facing a similar challenge in Chincholi SC in Kalaburagi district. Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee SC cell office-bearer Shivakumar K Kollur and Janata Dal leader Basavaraj Mallayya filed their nominations as Congress and JDS candidates respectively, while on paper, the parties stand united. Since they failed to provide party B-forms, they are now considered independent candidates. Party leaders, however, are confident of convincing them to withdraw their nominations. Thursday is the last day for withdrawing nomination papers.

That apart, the Congress also faces the challenge of taking former minister Babu Rao Chauhan into confidence and ensuring that he works for party candidate Subhash Rathod. Curiously, both Chauhan and Rathod recently quit the BJP and joined the Congress, which had to choose between the two aspirants. On Monday, Chauhan stayed away from the party rally when Rathod filed his nomination papers.
“Subhash Rathod requested former minister Revu Naik Belamagi to campaign for him, but he did not contact me. I will speak with senior leader Mallikarjun Kharge and decide whether to campaign or not,” an unhappy Chauhan told The New Indian Express.

Deputy CM G Parameshwara has been made overall in-charge of the Chincholi bypoll, while district-in-charge minister Priyank Kharge and other senior Congress leaders are likely to camp in the district till May 19. In Kundagol, the election responsibility has been given to Water Resources Minister D K Shivakumar and R V Deshpande. Party leaders seem to have convinced Municipal Administration Minister Satish Jarkiholi to work with Shivakumar, who had initially expressed reservations over the party decision.

BJP aspirants fall in line

Bengaluru: The BJP too has a rebellion of sorts on its hands, and faces the challenge of taking its leaders into confidence in both constituencies. In Chincholi, former minister Sunil Vallyapure, who was an aspirant for the party ticket, is campaigning for party candidate Avinash Jadhav. However, Zilla Panchayat member Sajiv Yakapur, another aspirant, is yet to jump into campaigning and has publicly expressed his displeasure. In Kundagol, the BJP seems to have managed to pacify another ‘potential’ aspirant M R Patil, who was also seeking the ticket. He was with SI Chikkanagoudar when he filed his nomination papers on Monday. Patil said he was unhappy that he was not considered for the ticket, but would not go against decision. “All leaders are working for the victory of the candidate,”he added, as an afterthought.