Aspirants' list for 15 LS seats prepared: KPCC prez

The imbroglio over sharing of seats with the JD(S) resulted in the Congress deferring discussion on shortlisting candidates for 13 Lok Sabha constituencies during its state election committee meeting on Thursday.

This includes ten seats currently held by the Congress, two of the JD(S) and Shimoga, where the regional party has already announced Madhu Bangarappa as its candidate.

The Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee election committee discussed candidature for the remaining 15 seats.

A list of ticket aspirants for these seats has been drawn up that will be sent to the party’s central screening committee that is scheduled to meet on March 11. Some seats have 4-5 ticket probables.

Decision on March 11

“Congress president Rahul Gandhi and JD(S) national president H D Deve Gowda have held seat-sharing talks on Wednesday. We did not discuss that here. On March 11, we will go to New Delhi where everything will be finalised,” Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president Dinesh Gundu Rao said.

“Except 13 seats, we discussed all the others. Some seats have 4-5 aspirants,” Rao said.

“The party’s minority leaders have demanded that the ticket for Bidar, Bangalore Central and Haveri seats be given to a minority candidate. The high command will take a final call,” he added.