Times of India, Mangalore
Mangalore, Apr 13: Following the death of Blasius D’Souza, an MLC, the Christians strongly feel that a person of the minority community should be given a ticket. The best candidate available at present is Ivan D’Souza, the Christians feel.
Ivan D’Souza is district Congress vice-president and there can be no better person for the Mangalore City South constituency, the Christians say. Recommendations have started pouring in from many quarters, including from the Mangalore Bishop and Bangalore Archbishop.
The letters recommending Ivan’s candidature were written to the KPCC president in December by the Archbishop of Bangalore Most Rev Bernard Moras and Bishop of Mangalore Diocese Most Rev Aloysius Paul D’Souza.
While stressing on the fact that Ivan has worked for the betterment of all communities in the district, they also pointed out that he had the support of other communities as well.
When contacted, Ivan said not only the Bishops, but a whole lot of people, including corporators, had recommended his name for the constituency.
Late Blasius M D’Souza represented the Mangalore assembly constituency, now Mangalore City South, for two terms in 1985 and 1989. He lost to BJP candidate N Yogish Bhat in two terms — 1994 and 1999. In 2004, Bejai corporator Lancelot Pinto contested unsuccessfully against Bhat. Ivan had defected to the Congress from the Janata Dal in 2003.
Interestingly, the Christian candidates have been given preference in the earlier Mangalore assembly constituency since 1972. Post-Independence, the first three terms were represented by Vaikunta Baliga (1957), Manel Srinivas Nayak in 1962 and 1967. Thereafter, it has been the Christians all the way starting with Addy Saldanha (1972), P F Rodrigues (1978 and 1983), Blasius (1985, 1989, 1994 and 1999) and Lancelot Pinto in 2004.