Want early LS polls candidates announcement: Khandre

Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) working president Ishwar Khandre stated that the party high-command would be urged to announce candidates for Lok Sabha elections in a couple of months before.

"Preliminary process to select candidates for Lok Sabha elections has already begun, and views of leaders of all 28 LS constituencies have been collected. Opinion of local leaders and workers would also be collected, and the party is being strengthened. Alliance with JD(S) is sure, but talks about seat sharing and other issues related to LS polls have not yet begun," he said.

Speaking to media persons here on Saturday, he stated that there is no dissidence in the party in Belagavi, and Satish Jarakiholi has also clarified that he would follow the instructions from the party leadership. Nobody from Congress would join BJP, but BJP leaders are ready to join Congress, he said.

Local units of the party are given the freedom to have alliance with secular forces in urban local bodies, he noted.

Congress has called for 'Bharat Bandh' on September 10, against the failures of NDA government at the Centre. Congress district unts are staging protest from September 7 to 14, seeking probe into Rafel deal. BJP is afraid, and nobody can stop Congress chief Rahul Gandhi from becoming the prime minister, Khandre added, refusing to comment on Veerashaiva-Lingayat issue.