Cong to finalise on RS poll candidates from K'taka: Dharam

Bangalore, Mar 8 (UNI) The Congress High Command has summoned to New Delhi former Karnataka Chief Minister N Dharam Singh and Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee President Mallikarjuna Kharge to finalise the party candidates from the state for the Rajya Sabha elections to be held on March 28.

Talking to UNI, Mr Singh said the meeting would be held in New Delhi on March 12 in which AICC General Secretary and in charge of Karnataka affairs A K Antony would also participate.

He said the Congress could win one seat in the Rajya Sabha elections easily as it had 65 members in the state assembly and another 19 additional votes in the kitty.

The Biennial elections were necessitated following four Rajya Sabha seats from Karnataka falling vacant with the completion of the terms of Mr Rehman Khan, Ms Bimba Raikar and Mr K B Krishnamurthy (all Congress) and Rajashekhara Murthy (BJP).

While Mr Khan was likely to seek re-election from the state, the other names in the fray were former Union Ministers Jaffar Sharief and Margaret Alva (both CWC members) and H Y Hanumanthappa.

UNI MV RG TS1737