Digvijaya meets Congress' state leaders over next year's polls

AICC general secretary in charge of Karnataka Digvijaya Singh on Monday held a meeting with senior Congress leaders to discuss preparations that the party needs to make for the crucial Assembly elections next year.

Singh elicited suggestions from each of the leaders on many issues related to the preparations. The leaders discussed the strategy to be adopted to counter the BJP led by B S Yeddyurappa. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, KPCC president G Parameshwara, party leaders Oscar Fernandes, party leader in the Lok Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge and former chief minister Veerappa Moily were among the leaders who attended the closed-door meeting.

The ruling Congress, which is on a high after the victory in the recently held byelections to Nanjangud and Gundlupet Assembly constituencies, has decided to begin preparations for the 2018 elections early. It is planning to finalise candidates to contest the election well in advance, sources in the party said.

The sources said the leaders also discussed appointing a new state party president. A section of state party leaders, including Siddaramaiah, is mounting pressure on the high command to take a decision on appointing a new KPCC chief at the earliest.