Date:09/04/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/04/09/stories/2008040954040400.htm

Karnataka - Bangalore

KPCC earns Rs. 3 crore through applications

Special Correspondent

Bangalore: The Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) has struck a fortune earning nearly Rs. 3 crore in the form of application fees from party workers, thanks to the mid-term poll to the Legislative Assembly.

KPCC president M. Mallikarjun Kharge had said on Sunday said that till April 5, 2,316 applications had been received. Applications from Belgaum and Uttara Kannada districts were yet to come, he had said. Important leaders and former legislators, including him, had submitted their applications at the headquarters. The number might touch 3,000 by the end of the deadline for submitting applications.

The party had fixed a fee of Rs. 10,000 for each application by those seeking to contest from the 194 general constituencies and Rs. 5,000 for those belonging to the Scheduled Castes in 36 reserved constituencies and Scheduled Tribes in 15.

Commenting on this, the chairman of an important committee constituted for the elections remarked that only the affluent sections could afford it. Naturally, they engage hangers-on and spend lavishly on them but turn rebels when denied ticket spoiling the chances of the official candidates. This happened to the Congress in 2004, he said.

Many of them have their roots in the neighbouring districts and have made a serious bid to enter the Assembly and have taken up social, cultural and development activities in their chosen constituencies.

Already, the KPCC headquarters in Bangalore is flooded with ticket-seekers and their supporters. Ticket aspirants are meeting the party top leaders with their bio-data and recommendation letters appealing to them to consider their candidature.