The Congress on Sunday released the list of its candidates for three teachers’ and two graduates’ constituencies in Karnataka Legislative Council for which elections are likely to be held in 2024.
The term of the three seats to be represented from graduates’ constituencies of which one is currently vacant are coming to an end on June 21, 2024. Similarly, the term of current members representing three teachers’ constituencies are also coming to an end on June 21, 2024. Besides, one more teachers’ constituency whose term will come to an end on November 11, 2026, is vacant.
Currently, the 75–member House has 34 BJP, 29 Congress and 8 Janata Dal (Secular) members besides 2 vacancies and one Chairman. There is one Independent member.
The Congress list has Ramoji Gowda (Bengaluru Graduates’), Chandrashekara B. Patil (North East Graduates’), Puttanna (Bengaluru Teachers’), K.K. Manjunath (South West Teachers’), and D.T. Srinivas (South East Teachers’).
Mr. Puttanna, who had won from Bengaluru Teachers’ constituency on BJP ticket, had resigned from the seat to contest from Rajajinagar Assembly constituency in the recently held elections on Congress ticket. He, however, lost to former Minister S. Suresh Kumar.
Party sources said that Mr. Srinivas, who will contest from South East Teachers’ had contested as independent last time. He and his wife Poornima Srinivas, a former BJP legislator, joined Congress recently. Mr. Chandrashekar B. Patil, a confidante of Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, is a sitting member from North East Graduates’ and he has been re nominated as Congress candidate. Mr. Ramoji Gowda, who had lost from Bengaluru Graduates’ previously has been renominated to contest by the party.
