Hassan: The Congress, which has often identified Hassan as a key Lok Sabha constituency which it has to win, finds it difficult to identify a candidate who can match the stature of JD(S) national president and former Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda.
Mr. Gowda, a five-time Lok Sabha member, is yet to decide whether to contest from Hassan this time. But, the Congress has begun the process to select its candidate assuming that Mr. Gowda would be the candidate.
Sources said the candidates shortlisted were District Congress president B. Shivaram, Arkalgud MLA A. Manju and former MLC S.M. Anand. Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee president G. Parameshwara has often said that winning Hassan was the party’s prime agenda in the Lok Sabha elections, and the party had been careful in identifying its candidates. A party leader told The Hindu that selecting a candidate in Hassan was a difficult task as the voters would compare the Congress candidate with Mr. Gowda.