Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah
Credit: PTI Photo
Karwar/Hubballi (Karnataka): Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah stated on Wednesday that Congress' list of candidates for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections in the state would be announced within two to three days, and there are no 'major controversies' regarding their selection.
He mentioned that the nominees would be finalized based on the input of the party's local leaders.
"In two to three days, the Congress list may also be released. Tomorrow, the central election committee is meeting. Karnataka candidates will also be finalized and announced within two to three days," Siddaramaiah informed reporters in Karwar.
"There are no major controversies. This time, we are deciding based on the opinions provided by district in-charge Ministers, observers, MLAs, defeated candidates, Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha members, block committee presidents, and district presidents," the Chief Minister added.
Meanwhile, Deputy Chief Minister and state Congress President D K Shivakumar mentioned in Hubballi that the list would be finalized after Thursday's meeting in the national capital under the leadership of AICC President M Mallikarjun Kharge.
In the 2019 general elections, the BJP swept the polls, securing 25 of the total 28 seats in the state, while an independent candidate supported by the party also emerged victorious.
The Congress and the JD(S), headed by former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda, which were running a coalition government back then and fought the election together, managed to win just one seat each.
However, the political landscape has significantly changed since then; the Congress achieved a resounding victory in the Assembly elections in May last year and now appears prepared for battle, aiming to perform strongly in the Lok Sabha polls.
Additionally, there has been a role reversal of sorts for the JD(S), which joined the BJP-led NDA in September last year. The party is currently in discussions with the BJP regarding the seat-sharing arrangement for the polls and aims to demonstrate that it remains a formidable force, particularly in South Karnataka.