Congress fields Kharge's son for Karnataka bypoll

The party has also announced that sitting MLA M Krishnappa's son would contest the polls.

While Priyank M Kharge will contest Chitapur (Reserved) seat vacated by his father on his election to Lok Sabha, Priyakrishna will take on Minister for Housing V Somanna in Govindarajanagar constituency in Bangalore City.

Krishnappa represents neigbouring constituency Vijayanagar and is considered a political foe of Somanna, a Lingayat leader.

The Congress high command has also cleared the names of T K Yogesh (Chennapatna), S Jayanna (Kollegal Reserved) and C M Lingappa (Ramanagara), a seat vacated by former Chief Minister and JDS leader H D Kumaraswamy after he successfully contested Bangalore Rural Lok Sabha seat.

The polls in Chennapatna and Govindarajanagar were necessitated after C P Yogeshwar and Somanna quit Congress and defected to the BJP.

Kollegal is facing a by-poll as Dhruvanarayan of Congress was elected to the Lok Sabha from Chamarajanagar.

KPCC President R V Deshpande defended the party's decision to award tickets to leaders' sons, saying "loyalty, commitment and winnability has been the yardstick in awarding tickets to leader's sons."

Deshpande said all four union ministers-- S M Krishna, K H Muniyappa, Kharge and M Veerappa Moily -- from the state would campaign for the party nominees.

He said the campaign committee chairman Dr G Parameshwara would chalk out the schedule.

The ruling BJP has already announced its candidates and the JDS in four, though the party said it would contest all seats facing the bye-election.

Tomorrow is the last day for filing of nominations.