The Congress is planning to conduct surveys next month to shortlist candidates for the Lok Sabha polls.
Expediting the process of identifying candidates came up for discussion at a meeting held between AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge, general secretary K C Venugopal and Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar on Monday.
On September 23, Shivakumar, who is also the Karnataka Congress president, had appointed ministers as observers to each of the 28 Lok Sabha seats todraw up a list of probable candidates.
‘Reports from LS seats’
“We discussed various party matters. We had assigned ministers to obtain reports from Lok Sabha seats. This is getting delayed. The process must speed up,” Shivakumar said after his meeting with Kharge.
Speaking to DH, Karnataka Congress working president Saleem Ahmed said ministers will visit their assigned Lok Sabha seats and submit reports to the party in 10 days. “In November, the KPCC and AICC will take up surveys. By December last week or January first week, candidates will be finalised,” he said.
Shivakumar also said that he would hold talks with Chief Minister Siddaramaiah in a day or two to finalise the much-delayed appointments to various boards and corporations.
“Both party workers and MLAs should be considered. CM and I will discuss in a day or two,” he said.
According to Ahmed, appointments to boards and corporations are likely to be in a 70:30 ratio – 70 per cent to party workers and 30 per cent MLAs or MLCs.
The final list of appointees is likely to be finalised by AICC general secretary Randeep Singh Surjewala.
(Published 16 October 2023, 23:28 IST)