3 ministers may be asked to contest polls

The State Congress leaders are said to be making renewed efforts to convince ministers Krishna Byre Gowda, H Anjaneya and Prakash Hukkeri to contest the Lok Sabha elections.

The party is said to be mounting pressure on Agriculture Minister Krishna Byre Gowda to contest the primaries (internal poll), which is being conducted to elect the candidate for Bangalore North constituency. The last date for filing nominations for the primaries is March 7 and the polling is on March 13.

With the BJP picking former chief minister D V Sadananda Gowda for Bangalore North, the Congress also wants to field a strong candidate. Krishna Byre Gowda represents Byatarayanapura Assembly constituency which comes under Bangalore North. As many as 11 aspirants are vying to get the ticket from this constituency. 

The party leaders want Social Welfare Minister Anjaneya to contest from Chitradurga, but he is reluctant. He had recommended the name of Chandrappa. The BJP is likely to field sitting MP Janardanaswamy and the JD(S) is planning to field former minister Goolihatti Shekar. 

Sugar Minister Prakash Hukkeri is being asked to contest from Chikodi. He had won the Assembly elections (Chikodi constituency) in 2013 by securing the highest number of votes. But Hukkeri wants to make his son Ganesh the candidate. 

Speaking to reporters, KPCC president G Parameshwara said: “Efforts are being made to field the ministers in order to win maximum number of seats. It will become clear on March 7 when the AICC election committee will finalise the candidates,” he said.