Former minister Iqbal Ansari would be the Congress candidate for the Koppal Lok Sabha seat, former chief minister Siddaramaiah announced on Sunday.
This was announced by Siddaramaiah during a visit to Ansari's house at Gangavathi in the district.
The announcement by the chairman of the coalition co-ordination committee has come as a rude shock to the other aspirants, it is said.
Siddaramaiah said injustice was meted out to Ansari during the last Assembly elections. So, he would be given the ticket this time, the former chief minister said.
Raghavendra Hitnal, the Koppal MLA, former MP K Virupakshappa, Shivaramegowda, former ministers Basavaraj Rayareddi and Shivaraj Tangadagi are the other aspirants for the Congress ticket from the constituency.
Published 20 January 2019, 17:41 IST