Vijayapura: The City Corporation election is proving to be tough for leading National parties, the ruling BJP and the opposition Congress because of the presence of rebel candidates in the fray.
Several aspirants of these parties who failed to secure tickets, decided to either contest as independent candidates or got tickets from other regional parties.
A few prominent candidates announced to contest as rebel candidates are, Ravi Bagali of the BJP, and Abid Sangam of the Congress among others. When they were denied tickets from the respective parties, they chose to contest as independent candidates.
The official candidates are now facing heat from these rebel candidates as they feel that their winning prospects could adversely get affected if the rebel candidates take away a chunk of their votes.
Sources said that the official candidates have also been putting pressure on the rebel candidates to withdraw their candidature. But it is learnt that the majority of them are determined to contest the polls.
The official candidates of the parties are facing heat not only from the rebels, but even from some independent candidates. As many as five independent candidates are in fray.
The BJP and the Congress feel that the presence of more independent candidates will only divide votes and the chances of the victory of party candidates dwindles.
Abid Sangam, one of the Congress aspirants who was seeking a ticket, says that he has no option but to contest as an independent candidate from Ward 27.
“I also received calls from some people asking me to withdraw the candidature but I refused and have decided to contest in the polls as an independent candidate”, he said.
Similarly, Kaisar Inamdar was also seeking a ticket for his wife from the Congress for ward number 28 but when the party denied the ticket to him, he secured a ticket from AIMIM.
“I was intensely hoping to get a party ticket but when the party refused to offer a ticket, I went to AIMIM and got ticket”, he said.
Sangeeta Pol, who is a Former Mayor of the City Corporation, could not get ticket from the BJP, therefore decided to contest on the JD (S) ticket.
