BENGALURU: The Congress Pradesh Election Committee (PEC) that met under the chairmanship of AICC general secretary and Karnataka in-charge Randeep Singh Surjewala here on Friday, discussed the shortlist of candidates for the Lok Sabha polls.
As some PEC members, including MLC B K Hariprasad, expressed their reservations about the shortlist, terming it was drawn up unscientifically, Surjewala clarified that it was not the final list, and the party high command would ultimately go with the scientific survey to select candidates based on winnability.
He suggested that PEC members add their choice of candidates to the list. It may be noted that ministers who are observers of 28 LS seats and were given the task of shortlisting probable candidates, had submitted their report to KPCC president DK Shivakumar, who had reportedly stated that he was not happy with it. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah maintained that he had seen the list for the first time and that it was not the final one.
There are more than four probables in some constituencies. PEC members were told to tick the names of winnable candidates. Surjewala suggested that finalisation of candidates should be done by January-end and the list sent to the Central Election Committee. AICC secretaries will visit each constituency and give their inputs to the high command, he added.
For Tumakuru LS seat, a key constituency, the responsibility of choosing the candidate was given to Home Minister Dr G Parameshwara. He and Cooperation Minister K N Rajanna held a separate meeting in the morning at a private hotel. Since former MP S P Muddahanume Gowda is likely to quit the BJP and return to Congress, he could be the frontrunner for the party ticket.
‘Joshi looting Rlys property’
AICC general secretary Surjewala alleged that Union Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Pralhad Joshi was involved in looting Railways property worth Rs 1,300 crore in Hubballi. He urged PM Narendra Modi and Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnav to react.