Oscar, Jairam may be high command's choice for Rajya Sabha polls

The Congress high command may prefer two retiring members of the Rajya Sabha, Oscar Fernandes and Jairam Ramesh as its candidates for the election to the Upper House from Karnataka.

According to state party  leaders, the high command may go for Fernandes, a loyal party leader, and Ramesh, a Kannadiga. He is also considered close to Rahul Gandhi. The Congress can easily win two seats and the high command is favouring Fernandes and Ramesh.

The party has so far has not given its indication about the candidature of Fernandes and Ramesh to the state leaders. However, a senior leader told Deccan Herald that the party had informed the state  leaders that they would prefer those who are articulate and experienced. If the party top brass approved the state leaders’ suggestion to field the third candidate, they would prefer Ramamurthy.

Meanwhile, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Thursday said the high command will decide the party candidates for Rajya Sabha elections. Siddaramaiah and KPCC President G Parameshwara, who landed in the Delhi on Thursday, will hold first round of talks on Friday with Digvijaya Singh, party general secretary in-charge of Karnataka, to finalise the candidates. Later, they will meet party president Sonia Gandhi and vice president Rahul Gandhi to get their approval, sources said.

Council elections

During the meeting, they will also finalise the candidates for elections to the seven seats of Legislative Council from the Assembly, scheduled to held on June 10. While the party can win four seats, there are 35 aspirants. The probable candidates including Veeranna Mathikatti, Rani Satish, Allum Veerabhadrappa, Nasir Ahmed, Manjunath Kunnur, N Suryanarayana Reddy, Salim Ahmed, Manohar Inapur, Mallajamma and Anant.

As the government can fill three Council seats through nomination, the party has shortlisted the names of former MP and cine artiste Ramya, writers Marulasiddappa, H C Siddaramaiah, L Hanumanthaiah and Baraguru Ramachandrappa, sources said.

During the meeting, the state leaders will also discuss the long pending cabinet reshuffle, which is likely to take place by the end of next month.