Shivakumar announces Congress candidates for RS, council polls; Thanks PM Modi

Karnataka Chief Minister D K Shivakumar said Congress has filed nominations for three Rajya Sabha and five Legislative Council seats. The party fielded Mallikarjun Kharge, Pawan Khera and Mansoor Ali Khan for the Upper House elections

Bengaluru: Karnataka Chief Minister D K Shivakumar on Saturday said that nomination papers for three Rajya Sabha and five Legislative Council seats have been filed. Speaking to reporters here, Shivakumar said, “Today we have filed the nomination papers for all five candidates. Three candidates have been fielded for the Rajya Sabha election and five for the Legislative Council election.” AICC chief Mallikarjun Kharge filed nomination papers for the Rajya Sabha from Karnataka at Vidhana Soudha here on Friday.

Shivakumar said that Congress national spokesperson Pawan Khera has been fielded from Karnataka. Along with him, an opportunity has also been given to AICC secretary and youth leader Mansoor Ali Khan.

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“For all five Legislative Council seats, including the KPCC president, the opportunity has been given to Congress workers,” the chief minister said.

B K Hariprasad, Tippannappa Kamaknoor, P V Mohan, Shivanna Mallvalli and Vinay Karthik were declared as candidates for the Legislative Council elections.

The Congress on Wednesday appointed senior party leader Hariprasad as the new president of its Karnataka unit to succeed Shivakumar.

Responding to a question on Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s statement that the change of CM in Karnataka happened against the backdrop of public anger towards Siddaramaiah’s government, Shivakumar said, “PM Modi has wished me well. I thank him. I will go and meet him respectfully. He need not play politics, and we need not play politics. For the welfare of the people of the state, let us all come together and do whatever work needs to be done.”