The Congress fielded several new faces and two sitting MLAs for the coming Lok Sabha elections in Karnataka as the party announced candidates for 18 constituencies here on Saturday.
Of the 20 seats which the Congress got in the seat-sharing pact with the JD(S), the party renominated all nine sitting MPs from their respective constituencies. The party kept names for two seats — Bangalore South and Dharwad pending.
The party kept the Bangalore South candidate pending with speculation that Prime Minister Narendra Modi may contest from there. If Modi contests from this segment, the party may field a surprise candidate. Otherwise, the party may field K Govindaraju, MLC and a confidant of former C M Siddaramaiah.
For Dharwad, the decision was left to Congress president Rahul Gandhi to select from two names — former MP I G Sanadi or Northwest Karnataka Road Transport Corporation chairman and senior Congress leader Sadananda Dangannavar, sources said.
Former Minister and Davangere South MLA Shamanur Shivashankarappa will fight from Davangere and Bhalki MLA and Working President for Congress Eshwar Khandre will contest from Bidar.
Veena Kashappanavar, former zilla panchayat president was fielded from Bagalkot and Rajshekhar Hitnal, former zilla panchayat president will contest from Koppal.
V S Sadhunavar, Director, Karnataka Lingayat Society will fight from Belagavi.