M.B. Patil, former Home Minister and chairman of the Congress committee to scout a candidate for Belagavi Lok Sabha bypolls, held a meeting of his committee in Belagavi recently and declared that the party had dozens of aspirants. But few believed him. Even his followers and long-time Congress workers were skeptical.
Party workers confide that there are fewer seekers of the party ticket, compared to the Bharatiya Janata Party. Sympathy for Suresh C. Angadi, the late Union Minister of State for Railways whose death necessitated the bypoll, and a perceived pro-Modi wave in the district may cripple chances of other party candidates, they say.
Siddaramaiah, Leader of Opposition and KPCC chief D.K. Shivakumar held a meeting with senior members and hopefuls in Bengaluru on December 7 to review the situation.
They discussed various issues like caste matrix, image of candidates, and chances of victory of various candidates.
Congress sources say the KPCC has shortlisted 12 candidates,…