With 12 candidates in the fray for the 11 Legislative Council seats from the Assembly constituency, a contest has become inevitable. Monday was the last day for withdrawal of nominations. With returning officer Omprakash clearing four more nominations, all eyes are on Bhairathi Suresh, the lone independent candidate in the field, who is banking on the support of the JD(S) and Independents plus the surplus votes of the BJP for his victory. If this happens, the Congress’ fourth candidate M.R. Seetharam is sure to lose, said sources.
On Saturday, during the scrutiny of papers, objections were raised to the nominations of Bhairathi Suresh, JD(S) member Syed Mudeer Agha and Congress member Iqbal Ahamed Saradagi. The trio had submitted their sworn affidavits on a Rs 20 stamp paper when election panel rules state that this should be done on a Rs 50 stamp paper. Another Congress candidate, K. Govindaraj’s candidature was opposed as he is the president of Karnataka Olympic Association.
Mr Omprakash, while hearing the objections, said the rule on stamp paper value was a central amendment which was not applicable to Karnataka. On Govindraj’s candidature, he said the candidate being president of Karnataka Olympics Association, does not attract the office of profit clauses. He is a member of the Sports Authority but societies are exempted from the clause, he added. Meanwhile, Bhairathi Suresh said he had faced pressure from both the Congress and BJP to withdraw his nomination.