Karnataka Assembly elections: Congress list still a suspense

Bengaluru: Even after fixing the deadline to release the candidates list on Saturday, Congress party leaders continue to slug it out in private in New Delhi to make some "last minute final tweaks" to the list. It appears that chief minister Siddarmaiah is likely to contest from one of the two seats as Congress president Rahul Gandhi reportedly opined that Mr Siddaramaiah must contest from any one seat of his choice instead of deciding to contest from two seats and based on this, Mr Siddarmaiah reportedly sought time till Sunday morning to arrive at final decision to contest from a seat of his choice.

The party is all likely to release candidates list for all 224 constituencies in one go instead of its early decision of releasing in two instalments. Chief Minister, Siddaramaiah is likely to have upperhand in the final list although party veterans like Congress party Lok Sabha leader, M. Mallikarjuna Kharge, former union ministers M. Veerappa Moily, K.H. Muniyappa and K. Rehman Khan made concerted efforts to ensure the party should effectively implement time tested social engineering formula instead of falling only for the winnablity formula.

The Chief Minister, Siddaramiah reportedly asserted that he should be given free hand to pick candidates of his choice rather that candidates being imposed on him by any quarters. "I am confident of winning 120 seats if my list is approved," the source said quoting Mr Siddarmaiah and pointed at this point discussion over the candidate selection came to almost standstill.

Speaking to this newspaper, a senior functionary disclosed that the tussle has reduced from 25 contentious seats till Friday evening to 10-12 seats by the Saturday evening. "The party has seemingly agreed to the Chief Minister Siddarmaiah's proposal implement winnablity formula over the social engineering formula. Apart

from this, the Chief Minister also contested that "some leaders" whom he is recommending was simply part of his larger strategy to "mobilise resources" to ensure party's victory in some areas like Hyderabad-Karantaka region. Indirectly pointing towards his selection of fielding muliti-millionare  controversial businessman, Ashok Kheny from Bidar," the source explained and based on these considerations the party was all likely to say yes to Mr Siddarmaiah's list instead of listening to others.

The source further added that the party was likely to give in for the chief minister, Siddarmaiah's decision to contest from two seats along with allocating seat for his son Dr Yateendra from Varuna.