BENGALURU: AICC General Secretary (Organisation) KC Venugopal here on Wednesday discussed strategies for the November 13 bypolls to Channapatna, Shiggaon and Sandur Assembly constituencies with Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy Chief Minister and KPCC president DK Shivakumar.
The three leaders decided to wait and watch for the announcement of candidates by the BJP-JDS alliance before coming out with Congress’ own list, sources said.
The three leaders had video meetings with the probable candidates and also district Congress presidents concerned. For Channapatna, the opinion of local leaders and party workers will be considered in declaring the candidate. If they propose Shivakumar’s younger brother DK Suresh, the party has to consider him, the sources said.
They also discussed the likely move of BJP MLC CP Yogeshwar, who could contest as an independent if NDA denies him a ticket.
For Sandur, it was decided to give the ticket to one of the family members of Ballari MP E Tukaram. If BJP announces the ticket to former minister B Sriramulu, Congress may field Tukaram’s wife E Annapoorna, otherwise the idea is to make their daughter Souparnika contest.
Though winning all the three seats is important for the party, the focus is more on Sandur as Tukaram held the seat previously. The leaders decided to finalise the Sandur candidate in two to three days, a source informed.
Talks were also held on how MUDA and ST Corporation scams have marred the party’s image and how to deal with them as BJP is likely to bring them up during the bypoll campaigning.
They also discussed the meetings that PWD Minister Satish Jarkiholi, Home Minister Dr G Parameshwara and Social Welfare Minister Dr HC Mahadevappa held that sent a wrong message of Siddaramaiah stepping down as CM.