Lok Sabha Polls: Congress to release 2nd candidates list for Karnataka on March 11?

The ruling Congress party in Karnataka is employing smart tactics for finalizing its Lok Sabha candidates. It appears to be biding its time, possibly waiting for the BJP to unveil its candidate list before making its selections.

Despite releasing the first list of candidates for 7 constituencies, the party is yet to declare its nominees for the remaining 21 seats. In a bid to expedite this process, AICC General Secretary Randeep Singh Surjewala is scheduled to arrive in Bengaluru on Monday to hold consultations with the Chief Minister and Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar to iron out any differences.

One of the major hurdles hindering the finalization of candidates is the lack of consensus between Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar regarding certain constituencies. Surjewala’s visit aims to resolve this internal conflict within the party’s Central Election Committee, sources said.

The delay in candidate selection has led to growing concerns among potential contenders, who fear losing out on the opportunity to contest if there are last-minute changes to the list.

Additionally, pressure is mounting on Karnataka Ministers KH Muniappa and Dr. HC Mahadevappa to contest from Kolar and Chamarajanagar respectively. However, both Ministers are advocating for their family members to receive the tickets, a proposition that has not garnered support from the party leadership.

Kolar conundrum:

The Congress party is also facing opposition from within its ranks in Kolar, with local MLAs and former ministers demanding that neither Minister K H Muniyappa nor any of his family members be nominated as candidates. This internal dissent highlights the complexity of candidate selection within the party.

S T Somashekhar, the BJP’s Yeshwantpur MLA, who sided with the Congress candidate in the Rajya Sabha election, and Yellapur BJP MLA Shivaram Hebbar, who abstained from voting, are being considered as standby candidates by the Congress, sources claimed.

Uncertainty also shrouds the selection of a candidate for Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s home constituency, Mysore, as the Congress High Command pressures the CM’s son, Dr. Yatindra, to contest, yet Siddaramaiah has not consented.

Similarly, Bangalore North faces a shortage of Congress candidates, raising the possibility of ST Somashekhar’s last-minute entry as a Congress candidate.

Congress also grapples with a dearth of candidates in the Uttara Kannada constituency. While BJP MLA Shivaram Hebbar’s name circulates, former MLA Anjali Nimbalkar and Ravindra Naik are also under consideration. If no suitable candidate emerges, there’s speculation that Hebbar might resign from the BJP to contest as Congress’ candidate.