JD(S) to finalise candidate for Chamundeshwari on Nov 16: Gowda

Mysore, Nov 13 (UNI) Former Prime Minister and Janata Dal (Secular) National President H D Deve Gowda today said that the party candidate for by-election to the Chamundeswari assembly seat scheduled for December four would be announced on November 16.

Speaking to newsmen here, he said his party parliamentary board would meet in Bangalore to discuss the selection of candidate from six aspirants who had already been shortlisted. The candidate selection had been entrusted to party leader Rajashekhara Murthy, he added.

About possibility of fielding a common candidate by the coalition partners, he said the matter has been left to the Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy and Deputy Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa. They along with their State Party Presidents would discuss and finalise the issue shortly.

Former Deputy Chief Minister Siddramaiah who had won from this seat, forming a part of Mysore City, on a JD(S) ticket last time, later resigned and joined Congress necessitating the by poll. He was now the official Congress candidate for the election.

Mr Gowda said during his two-day visit to New Delhi from tomorrow would meet the party national leaders to discuss about the party candidate to the by-election. He would visit to the city and participate in the public meeting organised on November 17 on the last date of filing of nominations to the elections.

Mr Gowda refused to comment on the whether the candidate would be some one else than the six shortlisted aspirants from JD(S). Six candidates are Shivabasappa, A S Guruswamy, Sranappa, Shiva Murthy, Mellahalli Mahadeswamy and U A Shekhar.

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