Uttara Kannada ZP, TP reservation announced

Karwar The announcement of category-wise reservations for Zilla Panchayat (ZP) and Taluk Panchayat (TP) member seats in Uttara Kannada district has triggered political calculations ahead of the local body elections. A total of 53 seats have been allocated for the Uttara Kannada Zilla Panchayat. Of these, four seats are reserved for Scheduled Castes (SC), one for Scheduled Tribes (ST), 14 for Backward Class-A, four for Backward Class-B and 30 for the general category. As many as 27 seats have been reserved for women. At the Taluk Panchayat level, 118 seats have been allotted across 12 taluks. The reservation includes 13 seats for SC, 12 for ST, 25 for Backward Class-A, three for Backward Class-B and 65 for the general category. Women have been allotted 65 seats. The taluk-wise seat allocation includes seven seats in Dandeli and nine each in Joida, Yellapur, Mundgod, Haliyal, Siddapur, Ankola, Karwar and Bhatkal. Sirsi, Kumta and Honnavar Taluk Panchayats have 13 seats each. The reservation announcement is expected to accelerate candidate selection by political parties. Leaders and aspirants will now assess constituencies based on reservation status, local influence, organisational strength and social equations. The large number of seats reserved for women is another key feature of the announcement. With 27 of 53 ZP seats and 65 of 118 TP seats reserved for women, parties will have to identify suitable women candidates in several constituencies. The change in reservation status could also affect established political calculations. Some aspirants may have to shift their focus to other constituencies, while new candidates could enter the race where reservation has created opportunities. With the coastal, Malenad and Ghat regions having different local political dynamics, parties are expected to begin constituency-level discussions and candidate scouting soon. The coming weeks are likely to see increased political activity across Uttara Kannada as parties work out their strategies for the rural local elections.