Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (SP)

Mangaluru, Mar 24: Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) sources said that 12 persons have filed their applications, expressing their inclination to fight the coming assembly election on Congress ticket.

As seven out of the eight constituencies here are represented by Congress MLAs. The sitting MLAs are almost sure of getting party ticket again although there can be a change in a couple of constituencies. As such, there has not been too much of an enthusiasm among the aspirants to fill in applications as prospective candidates of Congress party.

As per information, no one has filed applications in Bantwal, city south, and city constituencies. In the other constituencies, a total of 12 applications have been received.

District Congress president, Harish Kumar, has applied for party's candidature from Beltangady constituency. Former block Congress committee president, Kavu Hemanath Shetty, and former president of Karnataka State Social Welfare Board, Divya Prabha Chilthadka, have nursed the ambition to get party ticket from Puttur constituency. Hemanath had earlier claimed that sitting MLA, Shakuntala Shetty, had clarified that she does not intend to fight the election again.

Dakshina Kannada district youth Congress president, Mithun Rai, government's chief whip in legislative council, Ivan D'Souza, and former city mayor, Kavitha Sanil, have expressed willingness to be fielded in Moodbidri constituency. Kavitha Sanil also is an aspirant for the ticket from the city (north) constituency. Former MLA, Vijayakumar Shetty and former mayor, Shashidhar Hegde, too want party ticket from this constituency.

Sullia is the lone constituency which has not been represented by Congress legislators in the recent past. Losing contestant of the previous election, Dr Raghu, city corporator, Appi, H M Nandakumar and Shivakumar Kaudichchar have applied for party ticket from this constituency, KPCC sources added.