K'taka bypolls: Decision on nominee for Channapatna Assembly seat to be taken soon, says Pralhad Joshi

New Delhi, Oct 19 (IANS) Union Minister Pralhad Joshi said on Friday that a decision regarding naming the nominee for the high-profile Channapatna Assembly seat in Karnataka would be taken soon.

Speaking to the mediapersons in Delhi on Friday, Joshi said the decision on the NDA [the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and its alliance partner Janata Dal-Secular (JD-S)] candidate will have to be made collectively. "The confusion regarding the candidate will be resolved within two to three days," he added.

Pralhad Joshi said that both the BJP and JD-S would make the final decision regarding the selection of the candidate for Channapatna.

The Union Minister said that discussions had already taken place between him, Leader of the Opposition in Karnataka Assembly, R. Ashoka, former Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai, and BJP's Karnataka unit president, B.Y. Vijayendra.

"Vijayendra also spoke to Union Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy," Pralhad Joshi said.

"Both Kumaraswamy and Vijayendra have held talks with the BJP National President. Kumaraswamy has not yet communicated his final decision. We should know in the next two to three days. The BJP leadership will also discuss with Kumaraswamy, who is the JD-S state president, before announcing the candidate," he added.

Pralhad Joshi said that there is a possibility of the BJP releasing a list of candidates for all 48 constituencies across the country at once for the upcoming bypolls.

He also mentioned that the BJP will soon announce candidates for all constituencies, including the three in Karnataka.

Channapatna Assembly segment of the Karnataka Assembly is one of the constituencies in the state's Ramanagara district.

The seat is a part of Bangalore Rural Lok Sabha constituency, along with eight other Assembly constituencies.

The Channapatna constituency is a prestigious one, and is known for many key personalities in Karnataka politics.

In fact, the first education minister of Mysore State, M.V. Venkatappa, was from this constituency.

--IANS

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