Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru (SP)
Bengaluru, Nov 1: The Congress has released a list of eight candidates it proposes to field for the by-poll that is scheduled to be held on December 15.
15 assembly constituencies in the state will face the by-poll that day.
Congress general secretary, Mukul Wasnik, has released a list of eight party candidates for the by-poll, with the approval of Sonia Gandhi. A perusal of the list makes it clear that Siddaramaiah has gained upper hand as far as selection of candidates is concerned.
Siddaramaiah has succeeded in getting ticket for Padmavathi, wife of his close aide and Hebbal MLA, Byrathi Suresh, in Hoskote constituency. Manjunath, who was fielded by the party in 2018 assembly election from Mahalakshmi Layout constituency, and who is perceived to be a close associate of D K Shivakumar, has failed to get approval this time. Siddaramaiah's pet candidate, M Shivaraju, who happens to be former leader of the ruling party in Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike, has got the party ticket here. MLC, M Narayanaswamy, has got party nod from K R Pura constituency here. There was demand to field a local candidate here, but the party has overlooked it.
M Anjanappa, considered to be an ardent follower of former union minister, M Veerappa Moily, is being fielded from Chikkaballapur constituency. Anjanappa, who was angry at not getting Congress ticket in 2013, had joined the JD(S) and sacrificed the post of the district Congress president. During the previous election, he had rejoined the Congress.
Bhemanna Naik, who is close to minister, R V Deshpande, has been picked for Yallapur constituency. B H Bannikod, who is a follower of H K Patil, has been picked for Hirekerur seat. As expected, former assembly speaker, K B Koliwad, has been approved as candidate from Ranebennur constituency while H P Manjunath is the official candidate of the Congress from Hunsur.
Two candidates have also been chosen for the legislative council elections. Dr M Kuberappa is the candidate from graduates constituency (west), while Sharanappa Mattur is the candidate for the northeast constituency.