BENGALURU: The Karnataka Congress dropped Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s former media advisor Dinesh Amin Mattu and Dalit Sangharsha Samiti leader DG Sagar from its official list of candidates for the Legislative Council. Instead, the ruling party has picked a new quartet of names: Ramesh Babu, KPCC Media Cell Chairman; Arathi Krishna, NRI Forum Deputy Chairperson; K Shivakumar, senior journalist and Mysuru Bureau Chief of 'The New Indian Express'; and FH Jakappanavar, educationist, labour leader and Vice-Chairman of Dr Ambedkar Foundation from the AICC SC Cell.
“I’m waiting for the official list,” KPCC president and Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar told 'TNIE'.
Sources in the Chief Minister’s Office confirmed that the list had already been forwarded to the Governor’s office. If Governor Thaawarchand Gehlor approves the list, the four will be sworn in as MLCs.
With this, Congress will secure a working majority in the 75-member Upper House-and, by December, can pitch to claim both the chairman and deputy chairman posts.
They will be nominated to four positions that fell vacant after the retirement of Congress MLCs Prakash Rathod, UB Venkatesh, JDs’ KA Thippeswamy and the resignation of CP Yogeshwara after getting elected as an MLA from Channapatna.
While three of them will have a full term, one will serve only for 11 months left of the six-year term. Sources said Ramesh Babu, who will have a short term, could be renominated for the next full six-year term when seven MLC seats fall vacant in June 2026.