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MANGALORE: In an interesting twist to the ongoing tussle for the Mangalore Lok Sabha ticket, the Congress high command has rejected the names sent by KPCC and has asked candidate be selected at the party level through a voting process. This includes Bangalore North too where there are three aspirants. Both veteran Congress leader B Janardhan Poojary and Union Petroleum Minister M Veerappa Moily’s son Harsha are camping at New Delhi lobbying to get the ticket for Mangalore.

 When asked Poojary about this new development, he said: "It is not confirmed. Let us see. If that happens it is good."

 A senior party functionary said: Since "Harsha’s name cropped up and both have been lobbying strongly; the High Command has directed that their selection be carried out through an election process. The observers will arrive here in the next one week and by then the voters list will be ready. It will be like a poll before the big poll. This will tilt scales towards Poojary as his was the sole name listed and sent by District Congress Committee."

 After Harsha Moily’s entry into the ring, there has been hectic activity with Poojary supporters trying to pressure MLAs and ministers from the district to support his candidature from the party. A party worker said: "We agree that Harsha is young and he has a lot of dreams. We heard his talk on Vision for Mangalore recently. But this is not the opportune time for him as BJP may run over him this time. When the observers come here, there will be a fresh set of guidelines to choose the candidate. Only those candidates who comply with those guidelines which may be on the lines of guidelines issued earlier like an active party member since the past five years, potential to win, local person, no criminal record/background and party loyalist. There may be a few more pointers added to the guidelines,’’ a party functionary privy to the development said.

 Poojary said that the party has to decide whether a winning candidate is required or not. Nowhere AICC Vice President Rahul Gandhi has said that experience is not needed. "His strong point is that name should come from grassroots level and it has come,’’ added Poojary.