Siddaramaiah, Shivakumar figure in Congress’ first list of candidates

Bengaluru, March 25: Congress State unit president D K Shivakumar and Legislature Party leader Siddaramaiah, who are Chief Ministerial aspirants in the event of the party coming to power in Karnataka, are among the prominent leaders who figure in the first list of candidates for the Assembly polls, due by May, announced on Saturday.
While Shivakumar is predictably contesting from Kanakapura, Siddaramaiah is returning to his home turf of Varuna in Mysuru district, which is currently represented by his son Yathindra Siddaramaiah.
Yathindra’s name does not figure for any other segment in the first list of 124 candidates.
Siddaramiah, however said, he wants to contest from two seats. “I had said, it is left for the high command to decide (regarding the constituency). High command has asked me to contest from Varuna. I have said, I will contest from two constituencies, from Kolar and here, again it is left to the high command,” Siddaramaih said. Speaking to reporters here, he said, his son Yathidra will not be contesting from any constituency.
Siddaramaiah who currently represents Badami in Bagalkote district, had earlier announced that he will be contesting from Kolar, but backtracked after party leadership reportedly cautioned him regarding the “risks” fighting from there.
The principal opposition party in the current Assembly, which has set a target of winning at least 150 seats, has not yet announced any candidate for Kolar and Badami seats.
According to some party functionaries, Siddaramaiah, in the event of him winning from both the seats, plans to vacate Varuna seat, and field Yathindra from there in the subsequent bypoll.
Names are yet to be finalised for the remaining 100 more seats. Karnataka has a total of 224 Assembly constituencies. Addressing mediapersons, Shivakumar said, in the next three to four days the second list will also be announced.
The Election Commission of India is expected to announce the poll schedule in the next few days. The first list mostly contains the seats represented by sitting MLAs and the constituencies for which only one name was recommended by the State unit.
Responding to a question on a few sitting MLAs not making it to the first list, Shivakumar said, “Almost 95 per cent of them will get, some clarifications and negotiations are going on, and there is no reason for anyone to worry.” (PTI)