Congress ticket aspirants anxious as wait for list continues

Several Congress ticket aspirants, including some Ministers, are spending sleepless nights as the party is yet to announce the list of candidates for the Assembly elections.

On Wednesday, a large number of aspirants flocked to ‘Krishna’, the official residence of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, to lobby for party ticket for themselves and also for their loyalists and relatives.

Mr. Siddaramaiah returned to the city from New Delhi on Tuesday night after participating in a series of meetings with screening committee members. The screening committee met for two days and scrutinised applications of thousands of party ticket seekers.

Social Welfare Minister H. Anjaneya, Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister T.B. Jayachandra, Transport Minister H.M. Revanna, former Bengaluru Mayors G. Padmavathi and Venkatesh Murthy, and several leaders from various districts visited ‘Krishna’ to confirm if they and their loyalists have got ticket to contest from the constituency of their choice.

Meanwhile, sources said the Congress was expected to announce its candidates for at least 150 constituencies on Friday night or Saturday. Mr. Siddaramaiah and KPCC president G. Parameshwara would visit Delhi on Thursday night to attend the Central Election Committee meeting on Friday for finalising the list.

Since Dr. Parameshwara is expected to file his nomination papers from the Koratagere constituency in Tumakuru district, he visited the segment on Wednesday and held a meeting with his supporters.

Sources said except five or six incumbent MLAs, all legislators of the party are expected to get ticket. All the JD(S) rebel MLAs who joined the Congress recently would also get ticket, sources in the party said.