From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network - Bangalore
Bangalore, Mar 29: The Congress party, which is engaged in the task of finalizing the names of its candidates for the ensuing May 5 Karnataka assembly polls is understood to have decided that candidates, who had lost the last three elections.
Also, the candidates who had lost the last assembly election by a margin of over 25,000 votes were also unlikely to get the Congress party tickets.
Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee President Dr G Parameshwar and Congress opposition leader in the State Assembly Siddaramaiah, who have been in Delhi for holding consultations with the party high command, have claimed that there were no differences in the party.
''We are united and determined to fight unitedly to ensure the Congress victory,” they said.
Speaking to reporters after a meeting with Congress President Sonia Gandhi in the national capital, both leaders said that there were no differences between them and denied any rift on any issue.
They said the list of candidates to contest elections would be finalised on Mach 30.
They also discussed guidelines to be adopted while finalising candidates for the elections.
It is learnt that the party has decided to not field candidates who have lost last three elections and lost over margin of 25,000 in the last elections.
The leaders also discussed issues related to giving tickets to Rajya Sabha members and kin and kith of party leaders.
It is believed that the party was in favour of giving tickets four independents – P M Narendraswamy, Shivaraj Thangadagi, Venkataramanappa and D Sudhkar -- who served as ministers in the BJP Government.
The party was also in favour of fielding C S Putte Gowda from Shravanabelagola constituency. Gowda quit the JD(S) and joined the Congress recently.
Renukacharya’s Charge Must Be Probed
Siddaramaiah demanded a comprehensive probe into the charges made by former Excise Minister M P Renukacharya that he had given money to former Chief Minister D V Sadananda Gowda during the Chikmaglaur Lok Sabha constituency byelection.
“I demand a thorough probe into allegations made by Renukacharya to find out the truth,” the Congress leader said.