Candidates for bypolls will be finalised on Monday: Congress

Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee president G Parameshwara on Friday said the party high command would finalise the candidates for the byelections to the three Assembly constituencies - Devadurga, Bidar and Hebbal - on Monday.

Speaking to reporters, he said the KPCC had already sent a panel of names of probable candidates for each of the constituencies to the high command. The central leaders will finalise the candidates after consulting the senior leaders of the State, he added.

The byelections are scheduled to be held on February 13. January 27 is the last date for filing nominations.

Parameshwara was speaking after holding a meeting with All India Congress Committee (AICC) general secretary in charge of Karnataka, Digvijaya Singh, who was in Bengaluru on a private visit. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah was also present in the meeting held at the Kumarakrupa guesthouse.

Suresh likely for Hebbal

Though the State Congress has recommended three names for the Hebbal constituency, independent MLC B S Suresh appears to be the frontrunner. Suresh, popularly known as Byrathi Suresh, is a close associate of Siddaramaiah. His brother B S Basavaraj is a Congress MLA from KR Puram. Congress MLC R V Venkatesh and C K Abdul Rahman Sharief, grandson of C K Jaffer Sharief, are two other names.

Mounting pressure

Jaffer Sharief has, however, not given up yet. He is said to be mounting pressure on the party high command to field his grandson. Rahman Sharief had unsuccessfully contested from Hebbal in the 2013 Assembly elections. Many followers of Sharief met Digvijaya Singh and urged him to give the ticket to their leader.

For the Devadurga constituency, the State party has recommended the names of Savithridevi, wife of Ventakesh Naik (sitting MLA whose death necessitated the bypolls), or his son Rajashekar Naik. The names of Rahim Khan and Gundappa Vakil have been recommended for Bidar.

Digvijaya Singh visited Congress Bhavan (old JD-S office) on Race Course Road along with Siddaramaiah. The chief minister took the AICC general secretary around the building.