The issue figured in Saturday's steering committee meeting which considered post election scenario. Former Delhi chief minister Sushma Swaraj, who contested against Sonia Gandhi in Congress' own bastion, has declined to contest in the by-election.

The JD (U) sources said though the new Congress government in Karnataka has come out with a `special package' for Bellary to be implemented in three years, it was nothing but compendium of projects cleared by the JD government headed by J H Patel.

Party sources said that Congress member Kondaiah, who vacated the seat for Gandhi was no longer keen to contest and was hoping for a party nomination to Rajya Sabha leaving the party to find a new candidate in the backward caste dominated constituency.

The political situation in Karnataka has changed a lot and thealliance between JD (U) and BJP before elections in Bellary no longer exists with both parties publicly pronouncing to go it alone notwithstanding the wishes of their national parties who are both partners in the National Democratic Alliance.

The JD (U) also feels that it had better chances of winning the seat because, according to them, it was the party's popularity that propelled Sushma Swaraj to narrow down Gandhi's winning vote margin to just 55000 votes and it was the Assembly constituencies contested by JD (U) which had given the upperhand to Swaraj than the ones contested by the BJP nominees.

JD (U) sources said the choice for the candidate has narrowed down to two partymen M P Prakash, a member of the JD (U) steering committee and former rural development minister and N Thippanna, who was the cover candidate for Swaraj in the last election. The final choice is expected to be made only after consulting two former chief ministers Ramakrishna Hegde and J H Patel.