Hebbal,Mahadevapura witness stampede for Congress ticket

The large number of aspirants for the Congress party ticket for the forthcoming assembly elections from Hebbal and Mahadevapura constituencies in the city has delighted the party, while making the ruling BJP queasy.

Hebbal is represented by Katta Subramanya Naidu, the former IT minister who is now in disgrace, after he and his corporator son spent time in jail over a land scam. Minister for health Aravind Limbavali represents Mahadevapura, and the rush for Congress tickets is being seen by party insiders and even BJP sympathisers as indicative of a Congress revival.

Congress sources say a large number of powerful Congress leaders are vying for the ticket from Rajajinagar assembly constituency, represented by minister for law and parliamentary affairs S Suresh Kumar. The KPCC has received an average of 30 applications for each seat. While the rush has delighted the Congress, the BJP is understandably downcast, viewing the upsurge in favour of Congress as a shape of things to come.

The Congress has 12 MLAs in Bangalore urban district, which has 28 seats, and is hoping to increase the tally even as the BJP is fighting ant-incumbency. It is upbeat about gaining victory in Hebbal  constituency, taking advantage of the beating that BJP image received after the jailing of Naidu. The presence of a sizeable population of voters belonging to minority community has boosted the confidence of Congress ticket-seekers and that explains the huge rush for Hebbal ticket from Congress,a senior party leader told DNA.

Former ministers BL Shankar and HM Revanna are the top contenders for the party ticket from Hebbal. Shankar enjoys the backing of SM Krishna and Revanna is backed by leader of the opposition Siddaramaiah.

@ashimysore