Congress screening committee vetting first list of candidates for Assembly polls

BENGALURU: The Congress party’s screening committee met at a private resort near Yelahanka on Tuesday to finalise the first list of 150 candidates for the upcoming Assembly election. Senior leaders including KPCC president D K Shivakumar, Opposition leader Siddaramaiah, B K Hariprasad, M B Patil and other took part.

In 85 seats, the party already received single applications and in 45 seats, the party apprehends infighting and factionalism. In 20 seats, there are more than three aspirants.

New joinees were inducted into the party on Tuesday.

The screening committee, which is meeting for two days, is working on pruning the list which will then be sent to the party high command for approval. The Congress hopes to release its first list of candidates in a week’s time.

Meanwhile, former Independent MLA from Vijayapura, Manohar Ainapur, former BJP MLA from Kollegal, Nanjundaswamy and former BJP MLA from Doddaballapur, J Narasimha Swamy, son of senior Congress leader R L Jalappa, joined the Congress on Tuesday.