Congress waits for BJP to announce list, before announcing important candidates.
Congress has released its second list of candidates of 42 constituencies on April 6, with candidates of Kolar and Belgaum on the next list, which will be announced on April 13.
The Indian National Congress (INC) has released its second candidate list for the Karnataka Assembly Elections 2023 consisting 42 members. The next list is likely to be released by April 13 after the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) first list of candidates are announced, said Salim Ahmed, working President of Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC).
Among the 42 candidates, Melukote constituency is reserved for Darshan Puttannaiah of the Sarvodaya Karnataka Party, a member of the Karnataka Raitha Rajya Sangha (KRRS).
Offical sources from Congress said that Siddaramaiah might contest from both Varuna and Kolar constituencies. “There are still some issues over Belgaum constituency.”
Salim added that there is a straight fight between BJP and Congress and other parties do not have a strong hold in Karnataka; many leaders are trying to join Congress as it has a strong hold in Karnataka.
When the third list is to be released, the first list of confirmed candidates will file their nominations with the election commission, said an official from the KPCC legal cell.
Second list of candidates released by the Congress
Pratap, from Janata Dal Secular (JD(S)) said, “Kadur constituency was promised to Y.S.V Datta and he joined Congress but then now they have given it to their candidate as he does not enough money so now we there will be a right answer for this move.” Y.S.V Datta is a former MLA from Kadur, who joined Congress in January 2023. K.S.Anand has been given the seat from Kadur in the second list.
He said this time JDS is contesting from all 224 constituencies and will release the second list tomorrow and there is no scope for coalition even if they do not get the majority in the house.
Mohan Dasari, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) spokesperson said the second list showed the sad state of affairs of congress in Karnataka. He said, “Candidate from Pulkeshinagar constituency, who is a three time winning MLA has still not been announced in any list.” He also said, “Congress and BJP are working together in Karnataka by putting a weak candidate against a strong one and betraying the people.”
Prof. Dr. Harish Ramaswamy, Political Science, Karnataka Univeristy, Dharwad said, the candidates on the second list are not surprising as it has the same faces and some old candidates have been brought back. He said, “The Congress needs new faces as the old faces have been brought back shows the inevitability of congress to win. People from same families also have been put on the list and this is misuse of democracy.”
He also added, people need fresh faces and candidates that can cater to the aspiration of the younger age groups.
Congress is yet to announce candidates from 82 constituencies including 11 candidates from different constituencies of Bengaluru, like Pulakeshinagar, C.V Raman Nagar Yelahanka, Dasarahalli and others.
