Oscar meets disgruntled ticket seekers in Delhi

 

• Tries to quell dissidence in the party

 

New Delhi, 11 Apr 2013 (DHNS): The list of Congress candidates for the remaining 47 Assembly constituencies is likely to be announced only after Friday.

 

After she returns to New Delhi, Congress president Sonia Gandhi may hold a meeting with senior leaders to finalise the contestants on Friday.

 

Congress Screening Committee headed by former Goa Chief Minister Luizinho Faleiro met here on Wednesday and asked Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee President G Parameshwara and Legislature Party leader Siddaramaiah to come to New Delhi on Friday for a meeting with Sonia.

 

Following party high command’s direction, AICC General Secretary Oscar Fernandes has started meeting all the disgruntled ticket seekers in an attempt to quell dissidence in the party.

 

During the meeting, heated arguments reportedly took place between leaders of different factions. Rajya Sabha member Anil Lad is said to have asked the top brass to field five of his loyalists in Bellary district by modifying the already announced list.

 

However, a Congress leader from Bellary urged the party to issue the ticket to party loyalists.

 

Fernandes also held a meeting with senior leaders such as H K Patil, A Krishnappa and A M Hindasageri.

 

Patil reportedly suggested the high command to field Hindasageri from the Hubli Central seat from where Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar is seeking re-election.

 

But, the party high command’s response to the proposal is still not known.

 

The party high command on Wednesday tried to down play the issue of receiving notice from Karnataka High Court on collection of application fee from ticket aspirants.

 

 “The matter is before the court and the party will handle it,” Congress spokesperson Renuka Chaudhury told reporters.