Mangaluru (The Hindu): Billavas dominated the list of candidates announced by the Dakshina Kannada District Congress Committee on Friday for the elections to the zilla panchayat even as DCC president B. Ramanath Rai claimed that for the first time the party had announced candidates for all the constituencies at one go.

Releasing the list of 36 candidates in the presence of Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee observer and former Legislative Council chairman V.R. Sudarshan here, Mr. Rai said it was prepared as per the guidelines by the KPCC, ensuring social justice. Asked about Billavas dominating the list, Mr. Rai said the vulnerable class had been given more prominence.

Billavas are followed by Muslims (6), Christians, Bunts and Gowdas (4 each), Scheduled Castes (3), Scheduled Tribes (2) and Jain, Rajapur Saraswat Brahmin, Ganiga and Gatti (1 each).

Only four of the 11 outgoing Congress members in the Dakshina Kannada Zilla Panchayat featured in the list—M.S. Mohammed, Mamata Gatti (former ZP president), Saraswati Kamath and Chandra Prakash Shetty. Anita Hemanath Shetty, wife of former Puttur Block Congress president Kavu Hemanath Shetty, also features in the list. She is contesting from the Nettanige-Mudnur constituency.

Mr. Sudarshan said that the list was final and no other party worker should file nomination papers defying the party diktat. If anyone did so, disciplinary action would follow, he warned. Mr. Sudarshan appealed to the cadres to work united for the victory of party candidates.

Asked whether dissidence was already brewing given the reported scuffle between Mr. Rai and Puttur MLA Shakuntala Shetty over selection of candidates in Puttur on Friday, Mr. Sudarshans said there was no dissidence. Mr. Rai clarified that such issues crop up over selection of candidates and would get mutually addressed. Ms. Shetty, who was present, nodded her head in affirmation.

Asked about the list of candidates for taluk panchayat elections, Mr. Sudarshan said taluk units of the party would release the list on Tuesday, after direction to that effect by DCC on Monday. He also said Ivan D’ Souza, MLC, had been made in-charge of the campaign committee for the district.