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MLC elections: Parties rack brains to select candidates

Last Updated 27 May 2016, 20:57 IST
With just four days left for filing nominations for the Legislative Council elections, the Congress, BJP and JD(S) were busy finalising their candidates and strategies on Friday for the polls scheduled to be held on June 10.

Elections will be held for seven seats from the Legislative Assembly. A candidate needs a minimum of 29 votes to get elected.

With 123 MLAs on its side, the ruling Congress can win four seats, while the BJP and the JD(S) with 44 and 40 MLAs respectively, can win one each. The three parties will be left with excess votes and are trying to work out various permutations and combinations to secure an extra seat.

The Congress high command in New Delhi is learnt to have cleared the names of Kondajji Mohan and former Bengaluru Mayor P R Ramesh.

For the remaining two seats, the party top brass has asked the state leaders to select any two among writer L Hanumanthaiah, former Minister R B Thimmapure and former legislators C M Lingappa and G C Chandrashekar. Final decision will be announced on Saturday, sources said.

KPCC President G Parameshwara and Chief Minister Siddaramaiah are in New Delhi to finalise the candidates in consultation with the party high command.

It is said that T V Maruthi, Allum Veerabhadrappa, B K Chandrashekar, Rani Satish, Veeranna Matthikatti, R V Venkatesh are lobbying hard to become MLCs.

Somanna favoured?

The BJP is likely to pick former minister V Somanna. While he enjoys the support of former chief minister Jagadish Shettar, State president B S Yeddyurappa has opposed his candidature. Somanna is also in good terms with Union Minister Ananth Kumar.

Names of Bharatiya Majdoor Sangha leader D K Sadashiva and BJP City BJP president Subba Narasimha are also making the rounds.

The JD(S) is likely to field former MLC K V Naray-anaswamy.  He is a cooperative and an agriculturalist. He is a close associate of JD(S) supremo H D Deve Gowda. The JD(S) legislature party meeting held on Thursday could not decide on the candidate and an official announcement is expected in a couple of days. Former minister Alkod Hanumanthappa too is an aspirant.

Another reason for the parties playing their cards close to their chest, is the hope of securing additional seat using the excess votes.

 The Congress has seven excess votes, the BJP 15 and the JD(S) 11. The three BSR (Congress) votes are likely to go the BJP. There are two small parties with one vote each and nine Independents. The speaker and the nominated member too can vote.

The Congress has a plan to enter into an understanding with the JD(S). The party would seek the JD(S) support to win an additional Rajya Sabha seat. It would, in turn, support the JD(S) to win an extra Council seat.

Elections to four seats of Rajya Sabha are scheduled on June 11.

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(Published 27 May 2016, 20:56 IST)

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