Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru

Mangaluru, Mar 20: With the Congress list for the Lok Sabha elections expected in a day or two, meetings are on in New Delhi to decide the names of contenders from Karnataka.

It is learnt that Congress leaders from Dakshina Kannada, and especially ticket aspirants, have been summoned to the national capital late evening on Wednesday March 20.

Leaders such as Ramanath Rai, district in-charge minister U T Khader, B K Hariprasad, Vinay Kumar Sorake, Mithun Rai, Mamatha Gatti, Kanachur Monu, Harish Kumar and others have been summoned by the Congress high command, sources said. Almost all of them are ticket aspirants.

Sources in the party said that all the leaders and ticket aspirants have been summoned together so that there are open discussions and there is no scope for any discontentment among the aspirants once the candidate is chosen.

Speaking to media, U T Khader said that the party has come up with a strategy to ensure Congress victory in Dakshina Kannada this time. "Therefore, the party is taking everyone into confidence and getting ready for the battle. Karnataka Congress in-charge K C Venugopal has hence summoned all of us to New Delhi. We will hold a meeting on Thursday March 21 and announce the list on March 22. No matter who is chosen as the candidate, the party leaders and workers will work together for our victory."

As per reports, former minister Ramanath Rai is the frontrunner in the race for the ticket, with former minister Vinay Kumar Sorake, Rajya Sabha member B K Hariprasad, and district Youth Congress president Mithun Rai being among the other top contenders. The name of SCDCC Bank president M N Rajendra Kumar has also been reccommended to the Congress election committee.