BELAGAVI: The Congress has started the process of selecting its candidate for the upcoming Belgaum Lok Sabha bypoll, with an 11-member committee formed by the KPCC due to meet on Saturday to shortlist names of aspirants.
The committee, headed by former minister M B Patil and KPCC working president Satish Jarkiholi, has at least eight names of prominent aspirants. Senior leaders like Laxmi Hebbalkar, Prakash Hukkeri, Ashok Pattan and V S Sadhunavar are the favourites, but a section of youth leaders are rallying behind Hebbalkar’s brother Chennaraj Hattiholi, who is yet to make it to big-time politics.
According to sources, some senior party leaders could insist that members wait for the BJP to announce its candidate first. Sources say the role of the Jarkiholi brothers will be crucial if the Congress has to defeat the BJP in Belgaum. The brothers have a stranglehold on a number of segments.