From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru
Bengaluru, Apr 18: The ruling Congress party’s sitting MLA from Shantinagar assembly constituency in Bengaluru city N A Haris may finally get the party ticket for contesting in the assembly polls.
It may be recalled that the name of Haris was withheld following the controversy over the case of assault and attempt to murder in a city bar against his on Mohammed Nalapad, who is still in jail, as the High Court has decided to postpone the hearing on the plea seeking bail.
It is understood that Haris, one of the most active members in the current assembly, is likely to be cleared to contest as he is believed to be most popular as per an internal survey conducted by the ruling Congress party.
The Congress party is likely to direct the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Party (KPCC) President Dr G Parameshwara to issue the B Form to Haris for filing the nominations as party candidate. However, the official announcement may be made in a couple of days.
N A Haris
The Congress, which announced candidates for 218 out of the 224 assembly constituencies in the State, had not announced candidates for five constituencies on Sunday and Shantinagar Assembly Constituency was one of them.
The party is understood to have decided to field former MLA Syed Yasin, son-in-law of senior Congress leader C K Jaffer Sharief, from Raichuru City from where he is a contender for party ticket.
With this, the party has to announce candidates only for three constituencies - Sindagi, Nagathana, and Kittur. The party is not fielding any candidate for Melukote constituency in Mandya district as Ryot Sangha leader K S Puttannaiah, who passed away recently, and his son Darshan Puttannaiah is contesting from the Swaraja Party.
Meanwhile, it has decided to withhold giving “B” forms to candidates nominated in Jagalur, Tiptur, Badami and Madikeri constituencies following protest by incumbent constituencies and opposition to nominate H S Chandra Mouli since the BJP whipping up a campaign that he had appeared for diamond businessman Mehul Chokski, uncle of Punjab National Bank scam accused Nirav Modi, in a cheating case in Karnataka High Court.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Karnataka in-charge general secretary K C Venugopal appealed to Minister for Planning and Statistics, Science and Technology M R Seetharam to contest from the Malleswaram constituency in Bengaluru.
A final deicsion on Seetharam contesting the polls would be known in a day or two, sources said.
Incidentally, the Chief Minister is likely to contest from Badami constituency in Bagalkote district in addition to contesting from Chamundeshwari in Mysuru district.
Film actor-turned politician and former Minister M H Ambareesh too was reluctant to contest from Mandya. There are strong rumours that Ambarish is planning to quit Congress and join JD(S) and contest on its symbol, and is deliberately waiting for the party to expel him to become a martyr and gain public sympathy.
On Wednesday, Minister for Bengaluru Development K J Goerge called on Ambareesh and persuaded him to contest the elections.