Mysuru:  With today being the last day for withdrawal on nomination papers for the MCC polls, leaders of three major parties — Congress, BJP and the JD(S) — are now trying to convince the party rebel candidates to withdraw their nomination papers.

Most of the rebel candidates are contesting as Independent candidates following delimitation of Wards and the Wards being reserved for Women and for other community.

It is learnt that big wigs of the three major parties have entrusted the work of convincing the rebel candidates to withdraw their nomination papers to the respective MLAs of the Constituencies from where the rebel candidates are expected to contest. The MLAs are said to have visited the houses of rebel candidates last night and tried to convince them to withdraw their nomination papers and allow party candidates which the party High Command have decided to contest freely.

Meanwhile, Harish Gowda, who had contested the 2018 Assembly polls as the JD(S) rebel candidate, told SOM that there was no question of all the 12 candidates supported by him withdrawing from the polls.

M.V. Ramprasad, a BJP rebel candidate from Ward 55, said that his supporters have called for a meeting this noon and added that his supporters would decide whether he has to contest or not as a rebel candidate.  The party had given ticket to S. Purushotham. The process of withdrawal of nomination papers began at all the offices of 11 Returning Officers (RO), located at all the eight MCC Zonal Offices, Chamundi Vihar Stadium, CADA Office and at MCC Community Hall and will end at 3 pm.

However, no rebel candidates had withdrawn their nomination papers when we went to the Press at 1.30 pm.