The Hindu : New Delhi News : Congress keen on pact with Bangarappa

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Congress keen on pact with Bangarappa

Special Correspondent

No compromise on Sorab seat: Krishna
‘Price rise can have an impact on polls’

NEW DELHI: Senior Congress leader and the former Karnataka Chief Minister, S.M. Krishna, on Wednesday said that the Congress was keen on a tie-up with Samajwadi Party leader S. Bangarappa for the coming Assembly elections in the State, but ruled out any compromise on the fielding of Mr. Bangarapppa’s son, Kumar Bangarappa as a Congress candidate.

Speaking to reporters here, Mr. Krishna said the Congress was interested in forging an arrangement with Mr. Bangarappa “to consolidate secular votes,” but at the same time, the candidature of Mr. Kumar Bangarappa as Congress nominee was “non-negotiable.”

The Congress has already announced that Mr. Kumar Bangarappa, who has remained with the Congress even after his father left the party to first join the Bharatiya Janata Party and then the Samajwadi Party, would contest again from Sorab Assembly constituency in Shimoga district.

Maintaining that Congress was right from the beginning of the view that sitting MLAs should be fielded, Mr. Krishna denied that Mr. Bangarappa had put a condition that the Sorab seat must be given to his party. “He has not asked for it [the seat]. Let us be fair to him.”

The Congress leader said Mr. Bangarappa had sought 30 seats and noted that for “strategic reasons” the party has not so far announced nominees for three seats in Shimoga district.

Asked about the possible impact of price rise on the prospects of Congress, Mr. Krishna agreed that there could be some impact, but said that with the inflation showing a lowering trend in recent times, the prices could come down to a level of comfort before the elections. All leaders of the party, including Congress president Sonia Gandhi and general secretary Rahul Gandhi would join the campaign, he added.

He did not rule out post-poll alliance with other parties if there was a fractured verdict. “Karnataka has been slipping in the development index. We will ask the people to give us a majority in the interest of the State. But, everything will depend upon the results.”

Asked about protests by some of his supporters over the lists of candidates announced so far, Mr. Krishna said he was satisfied with the selection of candidates.

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