BELAGAVI
The Congress party has released its second list of candidates. Kakasaheb Patil has been fielded as the candidate for Nippani assembly constituency in the district. However, Uttam Patil, who had been aspiring for a ticket for the last five years in the constituency, was denied a ticket. They have now raised the banner of revolt against the party.
Satish Jarkiholi from Yamakaramadi, A B Patil from Hukkeri, Mahesh Thammannavara from Kudachi, Raju Kage from Kagwad and Ganesh Hukkeri from Chikkodi have been given tickets by the Congress. In the second list, the AICC has announced former Congress MLA from Nippani, Kakasaheb Patil, as its candidate.
Uttam Patil, a close aide of then Congress leader Ramesh Jarkiholi, had been seeking a Congress ticket for the last five years. Ramesh Jarkiholi had joined the BJP following a political change in the past. But Uttam Patil remained neutral without joining any party. He was hoping to get a ticket from the Congress. However, the party has finalised the selection of Kakasaheb Patil in the second list and Uttam Patil will contest as an independent candidate.
Since Nippani constituency is represented by sitting MLA and Minister Shashikala Jolle, the Congress has fielded Kakasaheb Patil as he is a former MLA as measured by the Congress high command. The Congress high command did not give in to the local revolts and announced Kaka Saheb. He was a three-time MLA from Nippani in 1999, 2004 and 2008 and lost to Shashikala Jolle in the 2013 and 2018 general elections. Now, in the 2023 general elections, he is contesting against Shashikala Jolle again and trying his luck.
