The Congress central leadership is all set to renominate MLA for Shantinagar N.A. Haris, who has been in the eye of the storm after his son was involved in a brawl at a city eatery.
Sources in the Congress said the party’s central leadership had decided to issue the ‘B’ form to Mr. Harris since a survey done by the party had found him to be a favourable candidate in the constituency. Sources in the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee said the party would announce the candidature of Mr. Haris in a day or two.
On Sunday, the Congress did not announce candidates for five constituencies, including Shantinagar.
The party has also decided to field the former MLA, Syed Yasin, son-in-law of veteran Congress leader C.K. Jaffer Sharief, from Raichur City, from where he is a contender for party ticket.
With this, the party has to announce candidates only for three constituencies — Sindagi, Nagathana, and Kittur.
The Congress has decided to withhold giving ‘B’ forms to candidates nominated for Jagalur, Tiptur, Badami, and Madikeri constituencies following protests. There is opposition to nominate advocate H.S. Chandra Mouli in Madikeri since the BJP is whipping up a campaign that he had appeared for diamond businessman Mehul Chokski, uncle of Punjab National Bank scam accused Nirav Modi, in a cheating case in the High Court of Karnataka.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Karnataka in-charge general secretary K.C. Venugopal appealed to Minister for Planning and Statistics M.R. Seetharam to contest from Malleswaram constituency in Bengaluru.
On Wednesday, Minister for Bengaluru Development K.J. George called on the former Minister M.H. Ambareesh and persuaded him to contest the election from Mandya.
