BENGALURU: Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president DK Shivakumar on Saturday said that the party state unit has sent a shortlist of probable candidates for the Sindagi and Hanagal Assembly bypolls to the party high command, after holding consultations with local leaders. The bypolls will be held on October 30 and the last date to file nominations is October 8.
Shivakumar said that while central leaders will take a final decision on the candidates, the party has already started working in both the constituencies. Senior Congress leaders are holding a meeting in Sindagi on October 4, while Shivakumar, Congress Legislature Party leader Siddaramaiah and other leaders will there on October 8 when the party candidate files the nomination papers. A similar meeting of party leaders at Hanagal will be on October 7.
Srinivas Mane and Manohar Tahsildar are said to be the frontrunners for the party ticket from Hanagal. Shivakumar refused to comment on JDS fielding minority community candidates at both seats. “It is their political strategy and we don’t have to discuss it. We will do our work,” he said.
Responding to former DyCM Dr G Parameshwar’s remarks that like in Punjab, Congress will make a Dalit the chief minister in Karnataka after the 2023 Assembly polls, Shivakumar said the party central leaders will decide on such issues. “Parameshwar has worked as the party state president. He knows what to talk and what not to talk,” the Kanakapura MLA added.