With Lok Sabha elections just months away, the State Congress has begun consultations with legislators for selection of candidates for the three constituencies in Bengaluru.
During consultation with Yashomati Thakur, Maharashtra MLA and AICC secretary in charge of Karnataka, five legislators from Bengaluru North expressed their reluctance to conceding the seat to the Janata Dal (Secular), coalition government partner in the State, sources in the party said.
All the five legislators are said to have favoured the candidature of the former Legislative Council Chairman B.L. Shankar for Bengaluru North. Mr. Shankar is a two-time MLC and has represented Chikkamagaluru as an MP.
If the Congress fields Mr. Shankar, who belongs to the dominant Vokkaliga community, he is likely to take on Union Minister D.V. Sadananda Gowda, who currently represents the constituency. Congress represents five of the eight Assembly segments in Bengaluru North.
Sources said the former Minister H.M. Revanna, and Raksha Seetharam, son of the former Congress Minister M.R. Seetharam, have also been eyeing ticket to contest from Bengaluru North. Mr. Raksha Seetharam is currently in charge of social media of the AICC Youth Wing.