Karnataka: Congress finalises candidates for Rajya Sabha, MLC polls

New Delhi: Caretaker Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and newly elected Congress Legislative Party (CLP) leader D K Shivakumar on Tuesday held discussions with the party’s top leadership to finalise candidates for the upcoming Rajya Sabha and MLC elections.

The meetings, held with senior leaders including AICC General Secretary (Organisation) K C Venugopal and Karnataka in-charge General Secretary Randeep Surjewala.

The polls are scheduled for June 18, with the last date for filing nominations set for June 8 for four Rajya Sabha seats and seven MLC seats.

Following the initial discussions, Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar also met Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge and senior leader Rahul Gandhi.

Sources said Kharge assured the state leaders that the final list of candidates would be prepared and released soon by the party high command.

Given its current strength in the Assembly, the Congress is comfortably placed to win three Rajya Sabha seats and five MLC seats.