Shimoga DCC polls: differences to the fore

By Our Staff Correspondent

SHIMOGA, OCT. 13. Even as the scene for the oganisational elections in the Congress(I) at the Block and the District levels in Shimoga district is hotting up the chances to elect the office-bearers through "unanimous" choice appear to be slim if the opposition being expressed to it by a large chunk of party workers is any indication.

While the elections to the 18 Block Congress(I) Committees are scheduled to be held on Saturday and Sunday, the elections to the District Congress(I) Committee are tentatively scheduled for October 18 and 19.

The former MP from Chikmagalur, Mr. D.M.Putte Gowda, who has been appointed District Returning Officer, is however, confident of pursuing the party workers to accept "unanimous" choices.

He told The Hindu here on Friday that he wanted to avoid elections as they might widen the differences among the workers. He said that he would collect reports from the Assistant Returning Officers in each of the 18 Blocks in the district containing the names of "unanimously" elected members of all the blocks and prepare a list before submitting it to the Pradesh Returning Officer, Mr. Vakkam Purushottam.

He said that the election to the District Congress Committee would be held after the Pradesh Returning Officer approved the electorate. He said that groupism in the party units was common and possibly, it could be more pronounced in the district.

He said that instead of allowing such differences among the party workers to widen it was better to avoid such problems by avoiding direct elections. "Who knows, foes of today may become friends tomorrow. Cordiality among them could be maintained if the elections are avoided," he said.

He admitted that several representations had been made to him by several leaders (including the KPCC(I) General Secretary, Mr. Ismail Khan, the KPCC(I) Secretary, Mr. Sheernaly Chandrasekhar) urging him to hold free and fair elections in a democratic manner.

It is learnt that the workers have made it clear to the District Returning Officer that they are opposed to "unanimous" elections and in support of their claim they have submitted lists of majority party workers belonging to the three blocks in Shimoga -- South, North and Rural -- who are seeking direct elections.

If the organisational elections of the Congress(I) in the district have acquired more than ordinary interest, it is mainly because of the presence of pro and anti-Bangarappa groups which are vying with each other to gain an upper hand in the party affairs. It is said that while the pro-Bangarappa group is pressing for the unanimous elections, the anti-Bangarappa group has opposed it calling for direct elections.

Asked for reasons for opposing "unanimous" elections, senior party leader and former MLA from Hosnagar, Mr. Sheernaly Chandrasekhar, said that when the party was committed to ensure complete fairness and transparency in the process of organisational elections why should there be any opposition to hold direct elections.

He said that only those who were not members of the party were opposing direct elections. He, however, said that he was not apprehensive about "unanimous" elections as there was no scope for manipulation as was done last time as all new additions in the members' list had been approved by the KPCC(I).

"The theory of unanimity is being opposed for the sake of a principle," he said and added that the outcome of the elections would be challenged legally if any attempt was made to avoid direct elections.

He said that although identity cards were supposed to have been distributed before October 10 they were yet to be distributed.

It is said that the group led by the DCC(I) President, Mr. Mir Azeez Ahmed, which is identified as being close to the former Chief Minister and Shimoga MP, Mr. S.Bangarappa, was seen convincing the members assembled at the Circuit House to avoid elections, while another group led by Mr. Chandrasekhar was trying to mobilise support for its demand for direct elections.

It remains to be seen if Mr. Putte Gowda would be able to pursue the members who are pleading for direct elections to accept "unanimous" elections.

`Cannot contest'

Meanwhile, the District Returning Officer said that the six Congress(I) workers, including the President of the City Congress(I), Mr. Onkar Telkar, the President of the Rural Congress(I) Committee, Mr. H.M.Satyanarayan, and the President of the Women's wing in the District Congress(I) Committee, Ms. Shashikala Chandrasekhar, who have been reportedly served with show cause notices, could not contest the elections but could exercise their vote.

These leaders were reportedly served with the show cause notices by the KPCC(I) President, Mr. V.S.Koujalgi, asking them to furnish reasons as to why they should not be suspended from the party for having led a demonstration against the party's local MLA, Mr. H.M.Chandrasekharappa, during the recent visit of the Chief Minister, Mr. S.M.Krishna, here.

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