Karuna calls on Sonia as party readies nominees’ list

Sabha polls in Kerala held first round of discussions here.

The screening committee, which held preliminary round of discussions at the residence of Congress deputy leader in the dissolved Lok Sabha Shivraj V. Patil, is to meet again and expected to submit a shortlisted panel of candidates to the Central Election Committee by tomorrow evening, KPCC president P.P. Thankachan told reporters.

Chief Minister A.K. Antony, AICC general secretary Ahmed Patel, AICC secretary Anil Shastri and senior leader Hanumanthappa attended the meeting besides Patil and Thankachan.

Meanwhile, Karunakaran, tipped to be the party nominee for the Rajya Sabha polls scheduled for later this month, held a meeting with Sonia at her residence.

However, the senior leader later said the RS candidature did not figure in his talks with Sonia. The procedure for selecting party nominee for RS polls is the KPCC president and the legislature party leader suggesting the name after discussions to the AICC president for approval. ‘‘I have no role in it.’’

Asked whether the selection of candidates for the Lok Sabha elections would be a smooth affair, he said ‘‘it will be good if it is so’’.