Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (SP)

Mangaluru, Nov 16: Four-time MLA, Abhayachandra Jain representing Mulky-Moodbidri constituency, has already announced his decision not to contest the next election. Several Congressmen have been eying this constituency, which has grown into a strong Congress bastion during Abhayachandra's tenure. Most important among them happen to be Dakshina Kannada district youth Congress president, Mithun Rai, and MLC and chief whip of the legislative council, Ivan D'Souza.

In an interview given to a Kannada daily, Ivan asserted that he is a ticket aspirant from the said constituency. He notes that he had fought from city south constituency in the past but lost. He said he wants to fight from the constituency currently held by Abhayachandra Jain as Jain has expressed his desire to stay away from electoral politics.

When his attention was drawn to Jain's statement that he will vacate only if youth Congress leaders are given the ticket, Ivan said that the person who is leaving cannot dictate as to whom the ticket has to be given, as it is the prerogative of the party leadership. He said that during a discussion he had with Jain on the issue, Jain himself had opined that he would be a better candidate than Mithun Rai and that he would convince the latter on the issue.

On his aspiration to become MLA when holding the post of MLC, Ivan said that a MLA has more opportunity to serve the people. He said that he has close contact with party workers and his fans from the region and therefore he likes this constituency. About undertaking campaign in the constituency before bagging a ticket, he said that he has been building the party and it would be wrong to term it as election campaign.

Ivan agreed that the chief minister has identified his potential, working style, sincerity to the party, honesty, commitment, and concern for the people. About the controversy over opening of his office at Moodbidri, Ivan said that it is just a service centre meant to respond to people's problems and not an alternative to Congress. He felt that no one can demand for its closure.