Don’t Field Outsiders in Bypolls, Workers Tell Cong

BANGALORE: Senior Congress leaders faced the ire of party workers on Wednesday over proposals to field outsiders for the byelections to Bellary Rural constituency.

Partymen from Bellary, led by KPCC’s farmers’ cell convener Kattemane Shivaramappa, told the leaders that they would resist attempts to field outsiders. He said the party has a good chance to regain its hold in the district, but claimed that some people with vested interests were proposing the names of outsiders to contest the byelections.

The leaders gheraoed Bellary District in-charge Minister P T Parameshwara Naik over the issue. The minister, while attempting to pacify the workers, promised to convey their opinions at the KPCC meeting, which was attended by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and KPCC president G Parameshwara .  They discussed candidates with district in-charge ministers and district congress committee presidents of Shimoga, Bellary and Belgaum.

While there was no resistance to the candidature of Ganesh Hukkeri for the Chikkodi-Sadalga seat, partymen from Bellary opposed the candidature of former deputy speaker N Y Gopalakrishna. For Shikaripur Assembly seat, the Shimoga DCC had proposed former MLC Shanthaveerappa Gowda as party candidate. But former MLA B C Patil too is lobbying for the party ticket.

According to sources, Siddaramaiah and Parameshwara will now recommend names to the party high command for final clearance.