BENGALURU: The Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) that had invited applications from interested candidates to contest Assembly polls, has extended the last date for submitting applications to November 21. According to the earlier schedule, November 15 was the last date for applications. The party is expected to scrutinise the applicants and announce a list of 150 candidates by December-end.
The party has fixed a fee of Rs 5,000 per application, and the amount collected will be used for party expenses. KPCC working president Saleem Ahmed told TNIE that more than 1,000 people have taken applications and are in the process of submitting them. Many leaders, legislators and aspirants have applied, he added.
Some constituencies are in demand, like Bengaluru Rural, Devanahalli, Hubballi-Dharwad and Tumakuru, with 8 to 10 aspirants submitting applications. Explaining the selection process, Saleem said they are getting ground reports from each District Congress Committee. More than 1,000 people have been doing a survey over the past six months, and three surveys have already been completed. The selection committee will keep all these reports in mind while scrutinising the candidate list.
“We will form a Pradesh Election Committee which will scrutinise and shortlist two or three names per assembly constituency. This will be sent to the Central Election Committee which will announce the final list,” he said.
Saleem said that Congress leaders are in talks with a few BJP and JDS leaders who have expressed the desire to contest from the Congress. Of 224 assembly constituencies, the party will finalise names for 150 seats. Party leaders want these candidates to get a head start, so they have time to get to know the constituency problems and draw up strategies, a senior party leader said, on condition of anonymity.
The Congress, which is aiming to win 150 seats, is putting in all efforts to select winnable candidates, despite its internal issues. According to sources, most of the sitting Congress MLAs will be given tickets.