Council biennial polls: Cong finalises names of 4 candidates

The Congress today finalised the names of four candidates for the June 11 biennial election to the Karnataka Legislative Council.

The Congress High Command has cleared the names of Motamma, Iqbal Ahmed Saradagi, K Govindraju and former MLA M R Seetharam, KPCC President Parameshwar told reporters here.

Congress has decided to field Seetharam as its fourth candidate, banking on the surplus votes of independents and other parties.

Congress, which has a strength of 71 in the 225-member assembly, can easily win three seats as each winning candidate required 19 first preference votes. Congress will be left with 14 surplus votes.

Motamma, who is the leader of Opposition in the Legislative Council, is the lone candidate to get renomination for the second term.

Saradagi is a former MP and Govindaraju is the Chairman of the Karnataka Sports Council.
Asked about possibility of fourth candidate winning the polls, Parameshwar said the party would seek support from other parties or independents. "We haven't begun dialogue with other parties or independents. We will do so soon," he said.

BJP, which has 120 members in the 225-member assembly, has decided to field six candidates, whose victory is ensured.

State unit BJP President K S Eswarappa has already declared that his party will not transfer its surplus votes to other party candidates and allot all votes to its nominees.
The elections are being held to fill eleven vacancies caused by the retirement of members.

Tomorrow is the last day for filing of nominations.