Former chief minister Siddaramaiah’s wish to stand from Kolar remained unaddressed as the second list of 42 candidates released by the Congress on Thursday did not have the name of the high-stakes assembly seat. The Kolar candidate is likely to feature in the third list, which will be declared in the next few days, sources said.
In its second list for the upcoming assembly elections in Karnataka, the party has given a ticket to over 20 fresh faces and three turncoats, who switched from the BJP and JDS.
To date, the Congress has announced two lists – the first on March 25, which declared 124 candidates, and the second list on April 6 with 42 candidates. The total now stands at 166, while candidates for the remaining 58 seats will be out in a third list, as per party sources.
Sources said the Congress had names of two candidates each for the remaining 58 seats. Senior leader Rahul Gandhi had asked the party’s central election committee to narrow it down to one person for each seat in the next 24 to 48 hours, they added. In the two lists, the party has retained 60 out of its 69 sitting MLAs.
“There are a few seats where the decision to name a candidate should be taken carefully, keeping in mind the caste matrix, the popularity of the candidate, and the winnability of the candidate,” senior Congress leader Priyank Kharge told News18.
The three turncoats – former BJP MLC from Gurumitkal Baburao Chinchansur, former BJP MLA from Kudligi NY Gopal Krishna, and expelled JD(S) legislator SR Srinivas – have been rewarded with tickets from Gurumitkal, Molakalmuru and Gubbi constituencies.
Chinchansur was seen as being instrumental in campaigning against Congress national president Mallikarjun Kharge in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, leading to his defeat. Gopalkrishna, popular among local residents, was with the Congress and had the Molakalmuru seat from 1997 to 2013. He lost to Thippeswamy, who contested from B Sriramulu’s BSR party, in 2013 following which he joined the BJP when he was denied a Congress ticket in the 2018 polls. He ended up winning from the Kudligi assembly segment. This time, he will once again contest from Molakalmuru represented by Sriramulu, who is a minister and is expected to get a ticket from Ballari rural.
With inputs from News18
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