With five days left for filing the nomination papers for the first phase of elections to the Lok Sabha, uncertainty continued in the Congress over candidates in some constituencies.
With many aspirants seeking ticket, the State Congress unit is finding itself in a fix in Bengaluru South, Bengaluru Central, Dakshina Kannada, Belagavi, and many of the north Karnataka constituencies.
It is being speculated that the Congress will field KPCC president Dinesh Gundu Rao, MLA, from Benglauru South constituency.
Senior leaders, such as Ramalinga Reddy, and M. Krishnappa, have expressed their unwillingness to enter the fray, sources said. The BJP too has not named its candidate for this constiuency in the first list.
Major contenders
In Dakshina Kannda constituency, former Ministers Vinay Kumar Sorake and B. Ramanath Rai, and SCDCC Bank president M.N. Rajendra Kumar are major contenders for a ticket.
Meanwhile on Thursday, Congress Legislature Party leader Siddaramaiah, Mr. Dinesh Gundu Rao, KPCC working president Eshwar Khandre, and Deputy Chief Minister G. Parameshwara held a meeting with Congress president Rahul Gandhi and other senior party leaders to finalise candidates for constituencies which will go to polls on April 18.
Sources said that first list of the Congress candidates is likely to be announced on Friday. The Central Election Committee (CEC), headed by Mr. Gandhi, will meet on that day to finalise the names, the party sources added.