Congress clears 130 names for Karnataka Assembly Elections

The Congress Central Election Committee on Friday cleared 130 names for the coming Assembly elections in Karnataka.

The Committee headed by Congress National President Mallikarjun Kharge and attended by former president Rahul Gandhi, General Secretaries K C Venugopal, Randeep Surjewala, Pradesh Congress President D K Shivakumar, former chief minister Siddaramaiah, Opposition Leader in Legislative Council B K Hariprasad, former Union Minister Mallikarjuna Kharge, former Minister M B Patil, G Parameshwara and others held meeting for nearly three hours.

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In the meeting, it was decided to release the list next week mostly after Rahul Gandhi’s Belagavi rally scheduled on March 20.

In the meeting, it was decided to field 61 sitting MLAs. However, for remaining seven sitting MLAs seats - Harihar, Pavagada, Pulkeshinagar, Lingasaguru, Afzalpur, Sidlaghatta and Kundagol constituencies, the committee decided to have further deliberations before finalising candidates.

"In the meeting, the CEC approved the names of 130 constituencies as per the single names recommended by the state screening committee. These 130 names also include 61 sitting MLAs," said a senior leader from the party.

For seven sitting MLAs seats, Rahul Gandhi suggested one more round of survey, a senior leader in the party said.

Soon after the CEC meeting, Kharge chaired one more round of meetings at his residence with state leaders. In the meeting, the state leaders deliberated on the seven sitting MLAs seats and fielding leaders who lost by narrow margins in previous assembly polls.

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The party also decided to give tickets to Sharat Bachegowda from Hosakote, Independent MLA from Mulbagal H Nagesh from Mahadevapura from Bengaluru. Member of Legislative Council U B Venkatesh fielded from Basavanagudi constituency. Newly joined BJP ex-MLC Puttanna will be fielded from Rajajinagar but the high command will approve his name once he officially took the membership of the party, source said.

With several senior leaders lobbying for some of the seats, the party wanted more deliberations. For instance for Pulkeshinagar (SC reserve), apart from sitting MLA Akanda Srinivasmurthy, former Union Minister K H Muniyappa also trying for the party ticket. Even for Pavagada seat, sitting MLA Venkataramanappa lobbying for his son while former Lok Sabha member Chandrappa also sought a ticket. Afzalpur MLA M Y Patil lobbying for his son from the same constituency.

The party is also planning to field new faces in Harihar seat (sitting MLA R Ramappa), Lingasaguru (sitting MLA D S Hulagiri), Sidlaghatta (V Muniyappa)and Kundagol (MLA Kusuma Shivalli) as incumbent legislators facing anti-incumbency, sources said.

Prior to the meeting, Pradesh Congress president D K Shivakumar told media that the CEC is expected to deliberate on recommendations of the state screening committee. The party will try to give justice to its leaders while giving tickets, but it is not possible to satisfy all, he said.