Two All India Congress Committee observers Dhruvanarayana and Jayaprakash Hegde, MP, on Saturday started the process of consulting party leaders and workers in the Bangalore City District Congress Committee office here for selecting candidates for 18 Assembly constituencies in the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike area.
According to sources in the party, who attended the meeting, councillors in the BBMP had demanded that they should be given ticket for the next Assembly elections in the place of MLAs, failing which they would not work for the success of the latter. The sources said that Zakir, a two-time councillor, had demanded ticket in the place of the former Minister K.J. George from Sarvajna Nagar, Sampatraj, a one-time councillor, sought replacement of three-time MLA Prasanna Kumar from Pulikeshi Nagar, D. Mallesh, another one-time councillor, wanted three-time MLA Dinesh Gundu Rao replaced in Gandhinagar, while councillors from BTM Layout constituency wanted ticket for one among them instead of the former Minister and five-time MLA Ramalinga Reddy.
These councillors told the MPs that they would not work for the success of these leaders, if the party denies ticket to them, the sources added.
Mr. Jayaprakash Hegde admitted that some councillors did express their desire to contest the elections and wanted these MLAs to be replaced by youngsters in the party.
Mr. Dhruvanarayana said that they could speak to workers from only 14 constituencies.
The exercise would be resumed on November 28 covering the remaining four segments. He said that a report, including the names of aspiring candidates with their details, would be presented to KPCC president G. Parameshwara.
