K’taka Polls: BJP Chief Meets Leaders About Possible Candidates

A day before a meeting to finalize candidates for the Karnataka assembly polls, BJP Chairman JP Nadda held talks on Saturday with key state leaders, including Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai and BS Yediyurappa, over likely names.

The BJP parliamentary board will meet on Sunday to finalize candidates for the May 10 election to Karnataka’s 224-member assembly.

Before the discussions began, Chief Minister Bommai said, “We will discuss all likely candidates. We have details of constituencies and constituencies and recent poll results. Bearing all of that in mind, we will have a detailed discussion with national leaders.”

The BJP, which is aiming to return to power in the southern state, has set itself the goal of winning at least 150 of the 224 seats.

Asked if the full list will be announced at once, Bommai told reporters that except for a few names, the rest could be announced after getting approval from the board.

The list of candidates will be finalized at the parliamentary board meeting scheduled for 5 p.m. on Sunday, he said.

Union ministers Dharmendra Pradhan and Mansukh Mandaviya, who are leading the BJP for assembly elections in the state, as well as the party’s top leader Arun Singh attended the meeting at Nadda’s residence here.

Apart from Bommai and former Karnataka Prime Minister Yediyurappa, BJP National Secretary CT Ravi and BJP State Chairman Nalinkumar Kateel were also present at the meeting.

The state’s main opposition party, the Congress and the JD(S) have announced their initial lists of candidates for the polls. Their final lists are awaited.

Smaller parties in Karnataka like Karnataka Rashtra Samithi, Aam Aadmi Party, All India Majlis-Ittehadul Muslimeen and the Social Democratic Party of India have also announced their first and second lists.

The Congress has announced candidates for 166 of the total 224 seats, while the JD(S) has announced a list of 93 candidates.

The notice of election will be issued on April 13, while the last date to present the candidacies is April 20. The results will be declared on May 13.