New Delhi: The Congress party has revealed its choices for three of the remaining four Lok Sabha constituencies in Karnataka, finalizing candidates for a total of 27 out of the 28 seats in the state. However, former Union Minister Veerappa Moily has been notably denied a ticket from the Chikkaballapur parliamentary constituency.
In a surprising move, the Congress has selected Raksha Ramaiah, National General Secretary of Youth Congress, as its candidate for the Chikkaballapur Lok Sabha constituency. Ramaiah will face off against BJP candidate and former Minister K. Sudhakar, despite facing backlash from local leaders.
Former Minister N.H. Shivashanakara Reddy, who also harbored hopes of securing a ticket, was overlooked in the selection process.
Another significant nomination is Sunil Bose, son of Karnataka Social Welfare Minister H.C. Mahadevappa, who has been chosen to contest from the Chamarajanagar Lok Sabha constituency. Bose’s candidacy pits him against BJP candidate S. Balaraj in what promises to be a closely watched contest.
E. Tukaram, the MLA from Sandur Assembly constituency, has been fielded by the Congress in the Bellary Lok Sabha constituency. He will be competing against former Minister and BJP leader, B. Sriramulu.
However, the Congress is yet to finalize its candidate for the Kolar Lok Sabha constituency, owing to internal discord within the party. A group of five legislators, including a cabinet minister, has threatened to submit resignations if tickets are allocated without their consultation, adding to the complexity of candidate selection in the region.