Claiming that there was strong anti-incumbency against, at least, four MPs — representing Kolar, Chickballapur, Chitradurga, and Tumakuru — a section of Congress workers and leaders demanded new candidates in these constituencies in the coming Lok Sabha elections.
K.C. Venugopal, AICC general secretary in charge of Karnataka, on Thursday convened a meeting of MPs at the party office to chalk out a strategy for the 2019 elections.
A few Congress leaders told The Hindu that they had urged Mr. Venugopal to replace the incumbent MPs in at least four constituencies since the chances of their victory are less in the coming elections.
Mr. Venugopal reportedly told the party leaders and workers that ticket will be given to candidates “based only on the winnable factor.”
While Kolar is representing by the seven-time MP, K.H. Muniyappa (SC), the former Chief Minister M. Veerappa Moily represents Chickballapur.
B.N. Chandrappa (SC) represents Chitradurga and S.P. Muddehanume Gowda Tumakuru.
Sources in the Congress said that leaders have requested the party workers of Chickballapur be ready to accept the decisions of the High Command in case the incumbent party candidate is replaced by a JD(S) candidate.
Meanwhile speaking to reporters, Mr. Moily said all nine incumbent MPs will contest the 2019 elections and ruled out giving the seats to the JD(S).
Meanwhile, sources said that the JD(S), which has a base in the southern part of the State, has been bargaining hard to get maximum seats from the Congress in the region.
