The Congress party has named candidates for six seats in three districts: Shivamogga, Chikkamagaluru and Hassan. Among them, two are sitting MLAs.
MLAs T.D. Raje Gowda of Sringeri in Chikkamagaluru and B.K. Sangameshwara of Bhadravathi in Shivamogga district have got a chance to contest again. The party has only announced a ticket for Sringeri, one of the five seats in Chikkamagaluru.
Three candidates cleared in Shivamogga
Of the seven seats in Shivamogga district, the party has cleared candidates for three. Former MLA S. Madhu Bangarappa will contest for the Assembly seat from Sorab, and another former MLA Beluru Gopalakrishna is a candidate for the Sagar seat. No candidate has been announced for Thirthahalli, where there is a fight between former minister Kimmane Rathnakar and Manjunath Gowda for the party ticket. Similarly, the party is yet to take a call on the candidates for Shikaripur, Shivamogga and Shivamogga Rural seats in the district.
Among the seven seats in Hassan district, the party has announced candidates for Holenarasipur and Sakaleshpur constituencies. Shreyas Patel, the grandson of former minister G. Puttaswamy Gowda will contest from Holenarasipur. Murali Mohan has been given the opportunity to contest for Sakaleshpur, a Scheduled Caste constituency.
The Hassan conundrum
Former MLA YSV Datta, JD(S) MLA K.M. Shivalinge Gowda are among the aspirants for the party tickets. Mr. Datta is one among the aspirants for a ticket to contest from Kadur in Chikkamagaluru. Similarly, Shivalinge Gowda is hoping to get a chance to contest from the Arasikere constituency in Hassan district. The party has not finalised its candidate for the Hassan seat, which has been in the limelight after former minister H.D. Revanna’s wife Bhavani Revanna expressed her willingness to contest for the seat on the JD(S) ticket. The JD(S) and BJP too have not finalised their candidates for the seats in Hassan district yet.
