State President Shivakumar inspired Priyanka Gandhi to contest the Karnataka Rajya Sabha elections.
Bangalore:
Ahead of next year’s Karnataka Assembly elections, state Congress president DK Shivakumar on Thursday said the party wants its national general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra to “focus” on the south where elections are being held.
This comes amid speculation in a section of Karnataka Congress leaders, including Shivakumar, that she wants him to contest the June 10 Rajya Sabha elections from Karnataka.
He said, “It is not so.. He actively campaigned during the recent elections (in five states), we are requesting him to do the same during the next elections. I have not put it (entire) . We want (her) to focus. South also,” Mr. Shivakumar said in response to a question on reports that he has pressured Priyanka Gandhi to contest the Rajya Sabha elections from Karnataka.
Responding to a question about probable candidates for Rajya Sabha polls, the KPCC chief said, “There is a tradition in our party for Rajya Sabha polls, we will follow what they (central leadership) say… even now. Keeping the national interest in mind, they will take a decision.”
Elections to the four Rajya Sabha seats are necessitated as the term of office of the members – Nirmala Sitharaman (Union Finance Minister) and KC Ramamurthy of the BJP, and Jairam Ramesh and the late Oscar Fernandes of the Congress – are due to end on June 30.
Regarding the candidates for the election of MLAs to the seven Legislative Council seats to be held on June 3, Mr. Shivakumar said that he would hold discussions with Congress Legislature Party leader Siddaramaiah in this regard.
“We have discussed one round, we will discuss the second round, after that we will decide. There are only two seats for us, our options are very limited, and too many people are asking for (tickets). Whatever interests us I am in the party, the high command will decide.”
Election to the Legislative Council is necessary because the term of seven members is going to end on June 14.
In this election, each MLC candidate will need a minimum of 29 votes to win.
(Except for the title, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)