Karnataka polls: BJP likely to finalise candidates list in April 9 meet

The Central Election Committee of the BJP is likely to hold a meeting at the party office on April 9 for finalising candidates for the Karnataka assembly elections, said party sources.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, BJP national president JP Nadda, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, BJP general secretary BL Santosh and members of the party’s Central Election Committee will be present at the meeting.

According to party sources, the core group of the BJP in Karnataka has shortlisted three names for each Assembly seat which will be placed before the Central Election Committee. The party’s central leadership will then brainstorm over these names before locking the candidates.

On April 4, the BJP’s core group in Karnataka drew up a shortlist of candidates in a meeting with the party’s national general secretary Arun Singh, state election in-charge Dharmendra Pradhan, co-in-charge Mansukh Mandaviya, Central Election Committee member Annamalai, former chief minister BS Yediyurappa and his successor and incumbent Basavaraj Bommai.

The BJP emerged as the largest single party in the last Assembly elections, winning 104 seats, with the Congress winning 80 and the JD(S) 37 seats.
The assembly elections will be held in a single phase on May 10, with the counting of votes scheduled on May 13.

(With ANI inputs)