MES loyalists likely to pose challenge to Cong, JDS

VT, Dec 9, 2005

B D Narayankar

Bangalore: In the aftermath of manhandling of Belgaum Mayor Vijay P andurang M ore by Kannada Rakshana V edike (KR V ) activists in Bangalore, independents lo yal to Maharashtra Ekikaran Samiti (MES) are likely to pose a stiff challenge to al major parties, including Congress, JDS and BJP in the ensuing panchayat elections in Belgaum district. There are 62 and 238 independents contesting for zilla and taluk panchayat seats respectively and many of them are lo yal to MES whose candidates have won from Khanapur and U chgaon Assembly constituencies. In all, there are 86 and 336 seats in zilla and 10 taluk panchayats in the district. The Congress that won five of the 18 Assembly seats in 2004 elections is contesting in all the 86 zilla panchayat seats. The BJP , which won eight Assembly seats in 2004 elections, is contesting only in 64 seats. The JDS, which won only one Assembly seat, has fielded 77 candidates. The JDU, which won the Raibag Assembly seat, is contesting only in three constituencies. The State unit of the Samajwadi P arty , headed by the former Chief Minister S Bangarappa, is contesting from 36 seats. The All-India Progressive J anata Dal (AIPJD) of former Deputy Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has fielded 35 candidates. The Bahujan Samaj P arty and the Raitha Sangha have also put up candidates. Even for the taluk panchayat polls, the Congress has fielded the maximum number of candidates 322, follo wed by the J anata Dal (S) 256, BJP 216 and AIPJD 115. The N ationalist Congress P arty of Sharad P awar has fielded five candidates, the J anata Dal (U) seven, the Raitha Sangha 2 and Samajwadi P arty 55. The M ore incident has galvanised MES to sink their differences and brought them under one roof. In the last Assembly election, MES had tasted defeat in all the Assembly seats due to infighting. The resignation of late Ashok P atil from MES on the eve of the election and aloofness of senior party leader Deepak Dalvi caused immense damage to the apolitical party . The infighting caused further damage when the MES lost its hold in the Belgaum City Corporation (BCC) due to the formation of a new forum -- Sarva Bhashike Samavichar V edike -- comprising of Kannada, Marathi and U rdu speaking corporators, who succeeded in keeping MES from po wer . MES also weakened further when most of its leaders deserted and joined BJP and Bajarang Dal after they were disheartened with the failure of resolving Maharashtra-Karnataka border dispute.