Cong grapples to finalise contestants for phase one

Bangalore, Apr 10 (UNI) With heavy demand and party leaders trying every method to get a ticket to contest the next month Assembly elections in Karnataka, the Congress Election Committee today shifted its meeting to a resort on the outskirts of the city.

According to party sources, as many as 890 applications were received for 89 seats in the first phase of election to be held on May 10.

More than 2,800 aspirants have staked their claim to contest for the 224 seats. They had paid Rs 10,000 each for the applications forms, sources said.

The 35-member Selection Committee, including KPCC president Mallikarjuna Kharge, Coordination Committee Chairman S M Krishna and former Chief Minister N Dharam Singh, were hectically working out to shortlist the candidates.

''Since a large number of applications have been received, the Committee may select two to three names for each constituency and leave the final selection to the AICC,'' party sources told UNI.

The Leadership was facing another problem of providing higher representation to women workers.

Mr Kharge, responding to the demand had stated that the 'Party is committed to providing reservation for youth and women. However, it will be subjected by taking into account the winning chances of the candidates.'' Yesterday, Party Women wing, including several legislators in the dissolved Assembly and former Ministers had staged a sit-in protest in front of the KPCC office here, demanding 33 per cent reservation for women in the selection of candidates.

UNI MSP RS SB DS1615