As the Election Commission announced a single phase poll for the Karnataka Assembly on May 5, the focus has shifted to finalisation of candidates by principal political parties -the ruling BJP, Congress and the JDS, which have already shortlisted nominees in majority of seats.
The Opposition Congress, riding high after its impressive show in the recent elections to urban local bodies, has stolen the march with its election committee finalising the party's probables list earlier this week. It has been sent to the screening committee, sources in the Pradesh Congress Committee said, adding, most sitting MLAs are expected to be renominated.
Karnataka is the first major state to go to polls after Rahul Gandhi became the Congress vice president. The BJP, bruised after its below-par performance in the ULB polls where it received a jolt by the Karnataka Janatha Paksha of former chief minister BS Yeddyurappa, has short-listed candidates for about 150 of the 224 constituencies. It had earlier indicated all sitting MLAs will get tickets.
