Congress final list clears the air

The Congress on Sunday replaced its controversial candidate from Madikeri constituency H C Chandramouli, who had once represented Mehul Choksi, a fugitive in the PNB scam, as a lawyer.

The Congress’ decision to field Chandramouli had embarrassed the party as its own leaders, including AICC spokesperson Brijesh Kalappa, had raised an objection to it. Opposition parties, the BJP and the JD(S), had also cornered the Congress on this issue. The party has now replaced Chandramouli with K P Chandrakala.

Besides, the party has accommodated two sitting MLAs, H P Rajesh from Jagalur and K Shadakshari from Tiptur, following an outcry. Supporters of the two MLAs had staged protests against the party and demanded that their leader be given the ticket. Senior leader from Davangere Shamanur Shivashankarappa had also batted in favour of Rajesh.

Initially, in its first list released last week, the Congress had announced A L Pushpa from Jagalur and B Nanjamari from Tiptur.

Similarly, the party has given the ticket from Padmanabhanagar constituency to M Srinivas, replacing B Gurappa Naidu. Supporters of Srinivas had protested in front of the KPCC office, seeking the ticket to their leader.

Minister for Planning and Statistics M R Seetharam, who was given the ticket from Malleswaram, has been replaced with Kengal Shreepada Renu.

Seetharam, who is an MLC, subsequently decided not to contest the polls.

The Congress also announced candidates for all five seats that it had kept pending — Shantinagar (Haris), Kittur (B Inamdar), Sindgi (Mallanna Niganna Sali), Raichur (Syed Yasin) and Nagathan (Vithal Dhondiba).

Inamdar, who is a senior Congress leader, had threatened to quit the party for not announcing his candidature. Yasin is the son-in-law of senior leader C K Jaffer Sharief.