Discussions in Cong to field 7-8 Ministers in LS polls in Karnataka, says senior leader Parameshwara

Home Minister G Parameshwara said there are discussions in the party that seven to eight Ministers should contest the upcoming Lok Sabha polls in Karnataka.

Published on: Mar 12, 2024, 16:05:26 IST

PTIPosted by Yamini C S

Prefer HTon Google

Share via

Copy link

Senior Congress leader and Home Minister G Parameshwara on Monday said there are discussions in the party that seven to eight ministers should contest the upcoming Lok Sabha polls in Karnataka. He, however, said the party will ultimately decide as to who the candidates should be for the 28 Lok Sabha segments.

"There are discussions that seven to eight Ministers should contest, among the Ministers. Whoever agrees in the interest of the party, they will be fielded. There may be some clarity on it after today's meeting (of the screening committee)," Parameshwara told reporters here.

READ | ‘Centre notifying rules for CAA is politically motivated’: Karnataka Home Minister

Asked about Social Welfare Minister H C Mahadevappa not willing to contest, he said, "He (Mahadevappa) is saying that he doesn't want to contest and the ticket be given to his son. Party will ultimately decide whether it will be Mahadevappa or his son or someone else. He cannot be pressured if he doesn't want to (contest)."

Efforts are on to pacify those upset or disgruntled about selection of candidates, to ensure that they work in the party's interest, he said, adding that "such things are common during polls."

READ | Investigators close to locating suspect of Rameshwaram Cafe blast: Parameshwara

Congress has announced candidates for seven seats of Karnataka in the first list Interestingly, Congress' first list did not have names of any of the ministers and legislators, amid reports that they are reluctant to fight the Lok Sabha polls.

According to party sources, the Congress leadership has been making efforts to convince some ministers and lawmakers to contest, as they have faced problems in identifying winnable candidates in several segments.

The Ministers instead are said to be pushing for the candidature of their family members to "ensure" the party's victory in their respective segments, and according to sources, the leadership seem to be worried about the message it may send out if their kin are fielded. Meanwhile, state Congress President and Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar said the party's screening committee will meet today evening to finalise the candidates.

READ | Karnataka bans Rhodamine-B used as food colour in cotton candy, gobi manchurian

"We are meeting in the evening, we don't have the rights to announce the candidate. We will send it to Delhi, the Central Election Committee will meet there and may accept or reject our recommendation. They may add names into the list on their own and announce," he said.

On some Ministers like Mahadevappa and K H Muniyappa not keen on contesting the polls, he said, "do you know about it? I don't know, haven't spoken to them."

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Yamini C S
Yamini CS is a Senior Content Producer at Hindustan Times with nearly six years of experience in digital journalism. She is part of the India News desk, where she works on a wide range of stories cutting across civic issues, city-based developments, politics, governance, public policy, breaking news, trending topics, and international affairs that have an impact on India. Her role involves tracking fast-moving developments, verifying information from official and on-ground sources, and presenting news in a clear, accessible format for a digital-first audience. A significant part of her work includes handling live blogs during major news events, such as elections, court verdicts, political developments, civic disruptions, protests, weather-related alerts, and unfolding national or international incidents. Through live coverage, she focuses on timely updates to help readers follow complex stories as they evolve. Before moving to the broader India News desk, Yamini was associated with the Bengaluru desk at Hindustan Times, where she extensively covered urban governance, infrastructure, traffic and transport issues, weather events, public grievances, and civic administration in the city. This experience strengthened her grounding in city reporting and sharpened her focus on citizen-centric journalism. She began her career as a correspondent with Reuters after completing a postgraduate diploma in journalism from the Indian Institute of Journalism and New Media. Her early training instilled a strong emphasis on accuracy, sourcing, and news ethics, which continue to shape her reporting style. Outside of work, Yamini enjoys reading across genres, listening to music, and spending time with her family, which help her maintain balance in a fast-paced newsroom environment.Read More

Get the latest City News, local updates, weather alerts and breaking stories from Bengaluru, Delhi, Mumbai, Hyderabad and other major cities across India on Hindustan Times.